On the 23rd, Rakuten Eagles announced the acquisition of pitcher Chiharu Tanaka as a compensation player for pitcher Takahiro Norimoto, who exercised his free agent rights and transferred to The Giants.

Chiharu Tanaka commented through The Giants' official website, "My three years with the Giants were an important time in which I learned a lot and gained a lot of experience. I am truly grateful to everyone who supported me. At The Eagles, I will continue to take on challenges with a positive attitude, so that I can show that I have grown even more than before. I would be happy if you would continue to support me."

Tanaka joined The Giants as the third pick in the 2022 draft and pitched in 30 games in his first year in 2023, but only pitched in three games in his second year in 2024, and did not pitch in a single game for the first team last season. His total record over his three years as a pro is 33 games, 36 2/3 innings pitched, with 2 wins, 3 losses, 3 hold, and ERA 4.91. It will be interesting to see if he can have a breakthrough season in his new home.