Japanese Professional Baseball clubs release 36 players

During the second notification period for the 2026 season, five Japanese professional baseball clubs announced that a total of 36 players would not be offered contracts for the following year.

SoftBank Hawks issued the largest number of notifications, including 14 players such as infielder Yuto Akihiro and several pitchers. The club recently drafted 24 players to facilitate roster changes.

Other clubs involved included: - Orix Buffaloes: 5 pitchers, including Ryohei Soya, who recently underwent Tommy John surgery. - Seibu Lions: 7 players including pitchers Ryota Itokawa and Mikito Aoyama. - Yakult Swallows: 3 players, including infielder Eigoro Mogi, who joined the team via free agency from Rakuten. - Nippon Ham Fighters: 4 players. - Hiroshima Carp: 1 player.

The notification period for all clubs is scheduled to run until October 30.