Rakuten Eagles 's General Manager, Kazuhisa Ishii (52), commented on pitcher Takahiro Norimoto (35), who exercised his overseas free agent (FA) rights from Rakuten Eagles, on the 15th.

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 of 3.05 in 56 games. His seven-year contract with Rakuten Eagles ended last season, and he exercised his overseas free agency rights. Regarding a move to Major League Baseball, he expressed his willingness to do so "if there is a chance," and said that his criteria for choosing a team would be "a place where I feel I can do my best."

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.