Japanese professional baseball roster changes

During the October 2026 notification period for the upcoming season, several Japanese professional baseball clubs announced decisions regarding player contracts. On October 26, five clubs—including the SoftBank Hawks, Orix Buffaloes, Seibu Lions, Yakult Swallows, Nippon Ham Fighters, and Hiroshima Carp—announced they would not offer contracts to a total of 36 players. The SoftBank Hawks issued the largest number of notifications, releasing 14 players.

On October 29, the Rakuten Eagles announced they would not renew roster contracts for six players: pitchers Shota Watanabe and Kosei Koga, catchers Hyo Ishihara and Riya Daiei, and infielders Daiki Irie and Kyosuke Kaneko. Watanabe, who previously recorded eight wins in his first year, struggled this season with a 10.50 ERA following right elbow surgery. Watanabe, Kaneko, and Daiei are reportedly being offered developmental contracts rather than standard roster contracts. The timing of the Eagles announcement drew intense social media reaction, as the club released the news on Watanabe’s 26th birthday, only six hours after posting a celebratory birthday message on their official X account.

Also on October 29, the Tokyo Yakult Swallows notified eight players of their release via free agency, bringing their total notified players for the week to 11. Following these roster shifts, catcher Takuya Kai held a press conference regarding his trade from the Yomiuri Giants to the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. Kai, a former Olympic Best Nine selection, will adopt jersey number 37. Reports indicate the trade is an unusual arrangement, as the Giants will reportedly cover a portion of Kai's remaining salary to facilitate the move.