On the 15th, Rakuten Eagles General Manager Kazuhisa Ishii (52) commented on pitcher Takahiro Norimoto (35), who exercised his overseas free agent (FA) rights from Rakuten Eagles.
GM Ishii responded to an interview after a manager-coach meeting held at the team office. Regarding Norimoto, he said, "My basic stance is that I would like to work with him. As a baseball player, I want him to make a decision that will allow him to look back on a good baseball life when he finishes his career, whether he joins us or goes elsewhere." The team has already indicated that it will allow him to remain with the baseball, so they will have to wait for the right-hand man's decision.
Last season, Norimoto recorded 3 wins, 4 losses, 16 ERA, and an ERA of 3.05 in 56 games. His seven-year contract with Rakuten Eagles ended last season, and he exercised his right to become an overseas free agent. Regarding a move to the majors, he expressed his desire to do so "if there's an opportunity," and said that the criteria for choosing a team was "a team where I feel I want to work hard."
Norimoto graduated from Chukyo University in Mie Prefecture and joined Rakuten Eagles as the second pick in the 2012 draft. As a rookie, he achieved double-digit win for six consecutive years, and from 2014 he became the third player in history strike out title for five consecutive years. In 2024, he switched to relief pitching, and in 54 appearances he recorded 3 wins, 4 losses, 32 saves, 4 hold, and an ERA of 3.46, earning him the saves title as well. His career record in the NPB over 13 years is 120 wins, 99 losses, 48 ERA, and an ERA of 3.12 in 373 games.
Related News
・ US reports say Takahiro Norimoto has received offers from one MLB team and several NPB teams, and that he is expected to make a decision by the weekend. He will exercise his overseas free agency from Rakuten Eagles and try his luck in the US.
・ [Rakuten Eagles] Takahiro Norimoto declares that he will exercise his right to become an overseas free agent, saying, "I want to live baseball life without regrets."
・ [Rakuten Eagles] Takahiro Norimoto states that he prioritizes the majors: "I'm working towards playing there."
・ [Rakuten Eagles] GM Kazuhisa Ishii reaffirms that "Of course, we want Takahiro Norimoto and Ryosuke Tatsumi to stay" after they declared free agency
・ [Rakuten Eagles] Takahiro Norimoto, who exercised his overseas free agent rights, participated in the fan appreciation event, drawing applause for his words, "I hope you will continue to support us."
