Yomiuri Giants announce player releases and Climax Series pitching rotation

The Yomiuri Giants have concluded their regular season in second place and are preparing for the Climax Series (CS) first stage against DeNA, starting October 10 at the Tokyo Dome. The team has announced its pitching rotation for the series, featuring Ondai Inoue for the first game, rookie Kazuyuki Takemaru for the second, and ace Shosei Togo for the third.

In roster adjustments, the Giants notified players Ryusei Yamada, Takuya Kori, and Yuki Okada that they will not be offered contracts for the next season. Additionally, Katsuya Hagio will become a free agent. These moves bring the total number of players released or notified of non-renewal to 13 this season.

To prepare for the postseason, four young players—Shunsuke Sasaki, Takehi Minagawa, Kota Hirayama, and Yusei Ishizuka—will participate in the Miyazaki Phoenix League to compete for spots on the CS roster. Meanwhile, veteran Hayato Sakamoto was noted for completing the full regular season for the first time in six years.