Saitama Seibu Lions release seven rostered players

The Saitama Seibu Lions have announced that seven rostered players will not be renewing their contracts for the upcoming season. This marks the first announcement regarding rostered players this off-season, following earlier releases of developmental players earlier in the month.

The players released include Ryota Itokawa and Masato Aoyama, both pitchers, as well as Ken Sasaki, Makino, Chano, Furukawa, and Hayashi. The move comes as the club undergoes roster restructuring after selecting five players during the recent draft meeting.

With the deadline for roster adjustments approaching on October 30, the club is working to manage its roster limit, which currently faces pressure due to the number of players selected in the draft.