The free agency application process began on October 29. This year's deadline is November 9, and players who have declared will be officially announced as free agents on the 10th, allowing them to begin contract negotiations with all teams starting from the 11th.

This season, 22 players newly qualified for domestic free agency rights, and 17 players acquired international free agency rights. Looking at the new holders of domestic and international free agency rights, there are many talented starting pitchers such as Hiroki Tokoda (Hiroshima), Masato Morishita (Hiroshima), Kazuya Ojima (Lotte), Daiki Tajima (Orix Buffaloes), and Kona Takahashi (Seibu Lions).

Among them, the focus will likely be on the future of Tokoda, Morishita, and Kojima. Tokoda, who was born on March 1, 1995, and is currently 31 years old, pitched 143 1/3 innings across 23 games this season, recording 8 wins, 6 losses, and an ERA of 2.76. He has reached the regulation innings pitched for four consecutive years since 2023, during which time he maintained an ERA in the 2s three times and achieved double-digit wins twice.

Morishita pitched 137 2/3 innings across 23 games this season with a record of 7 wins and 11 losses and an ERA of 3.60, but he reached the regulation innings pitched in both last year and the year before, maintaining an ERA in the 2.00s. He has pitched over 100 innings every year since his rookie season in 2020, and the season with his fewest innings was 2020, which was shortened due to the impact of COVID-19, at 122 2/3 innings. He pitches over 130 innings every year and is highly resistant to injury.

Kojima also pitched 117 1/3 innings across 20 games this season, recording 6 wins and 9 losses with a 3.53 ERA. However, he reached the regulation innings pitched for five consecutive years from 2021 until last season, and in 2024, he marked 12 wins while throwing a career-high 163 1/3 innings. Kojima has also pitched over 100 innings every year since 2020, fulfilling his role as an inning eater.

Takahashi, who has acquired international free agency rights, is reported by some media outlets to be considering exercising those rights. Takahashi pitched 138 1/3 innings across 22 games this season with a record of 9 wins, 6 losses, and an ERA of 2.54; since 2019, he has pitched over 100 innings every year except for 2024, when he finished with 0 wins and 11 losses.

In addition to Tokoda, Morishita, and Ojima, who acquired free agency rights this season, Takahashi Mitsunari, who acquired international free agency rights, is highly resistant to injury; teams with thin starting rotations would likely be desperate to acquire them.