The Saitama Seibu Lions announced that Ken Togame would not file his domestic FA option and will remain with the team under a new contract. It will be a three-year deal worth an estimated 300 million yen.
Togame, 31, was a rotation starter with the Lions for most of his time since 2012. Last year, he had a 4.50 ERA in 102 innings of work while recording a 5-6 record. In 198 games over the last eight seasons, he has a 51-47 record and career 3.94 ERA. Originally, he was a first round draft pick out of the shakaijin leagues in 2011.
The Lions negotiated multiple year offers to Togame throughout October and the pitcher gave in. If he exercised his FA option, he would have bee a type C free agent with no compensation had he been with another team.
Coming off a shaky season, Togame had two consistent years of being below average while alternating a good season followed by a bad season as his normal trend. This is one of the few rare times that the Lions keep a pitcher when he has a free agent option.
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Akiyama to exercise option, seeking MLB
Shogo Akiyama was presented with multiple offers by the Lions to stay, but in the end, he declared he wants to go to MLB by exercising his international free agent rights. The Lions captain has been a mainstay and mostly a leadoff hitter for the team in his tenure.
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Kyle Martin placed on waivers
Martin was placed on waivers by the Lions after a rough 2019 season. The Lions originally signed him as a midseason pickup in 2018 and kept him around for another year. This past season, the Pacific League had him figured out while he mostly looked good against Central League teams during interleague play.
While holding the setup man role in the first half, he fell out of favor among the Lions relievers as Kaima Taira took some innings away from him. In 41.2 innings of work, Martin recorded a 3.67 ERA at the ichi-gun level though he spent most of the second half in ni-gun.
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Fall camp begins, others sent to Seattle
The Saitama Seibu Lions begin their fall camp on October 31 as it runs through November 17 in Miyazaki prefecture. Here is the list of players being sent:
Pitchers: Tatsuya Imai, Yutaro Watanabe, Kona Takahashi, Wataru Matsumoto, Kaito Awatsu, Ryosuke Moriwaki, Yasuo Sano, Sho Ito, Makoto Aiuchi, Ryuya Ogawa, Keisuke Honda, Kaima Taira, Tomomi Takahashi, Kaito Yoza, Jiyu Okubo
Catchers: Tomoya Mori, Shoya Makino, Hitoto Komazuki, Masato Saito
Infielders: Kakeru Yamanobe, Ryusei Sato, Hotaka Yamakawa, Nien Ting Wu, Haruka Yamada, Ryusei Tsunashima
Outfielders: Yuji Kaneko, Fumikazu Kimura, Shohei Suzuki, Aito Takeda, Daisuke Togawa, Seiji Kawagoe
A notable change this offseason is how six pitchers who were not sent to fall camp will be in Seattle, Washington to use the Driveline Baseball facility as a way of training. Hiromasa Saito, Shunta Nakatsuka, Ichiro Tamura, Koki Fujita, Tsubasa Kokuba and ikusei Aoi Tono will be sent to the Pacific Northwest. This trip will runs from November 4-29.
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One last cut
Backup catcher Shota Nakata was named as a senryokugai shortly after the draft as he will not be offered a contract for next season as a player. He will remain with the team as a bullpen catcher. Recently cut Tatsuya Oishi will be taking a front office job with the Lions.
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