Report: Lions have stopped negotiating with David MacKinnon

 

The Saitama Seibu Lions offseason took a different turn. In a stage of negotiations, a source reports IF David MacKinnon will not return to the Lions for 2024.

MacKinnon, who will be 29 later this month, had a productive first season in Japan for the Lions with a .728 OPS and 15 HRs, which the latter led the team.  

An everyday infielder at either first or third base, MacKinnon kept his job until a brief injury took place in August. 

He became a free agent officially on December 1 when the deadline passed. Dietrich Enns and Nien Ting Wu were also designated in this category. 

General Manager Hisanobu "Nabe-Q" Watanabe made statements of being "in negotiations" with MacKinnon and his agent on reaching a contract, yet it took longer than expected.

Both sides failed to reach an agreement and MacKinnon is free to sign anywhere.

The last time the Lions let a foreign player walk in NPB free agency was Dennis Sarfate, where he was with the team in 2013, but then signed with the Softbank Hawks and finished his playing career in Fukuoka. 

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Lions retain Hirai

The Lions had other free agents to worry about as RP Katsunori Hirai filed his domestic FA option. However, it was announced on Wednesday that he will stay with the Lions on a multi-year contract. 

In 2023, he threw in 54 games with a 2.55 ERA and 28 holds.

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Wu departs Lions

In an emotional farewell, Nien Ting Wu announced his intention to return to Taiwan and play in the CPBL. 

Wu, 30, was mostly a reserve infielder and saw very few starts aside from 2016.  Despite tearing it up in ni-gun, there was no room for him at the ichi-gun level unless Sosuke Genda or Shuta Tonosaki were injured. 

He was originally a 7th round draft pick of the Lions in 2015 and his father played alongside Nabe-Q. 

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Yamakawa remains a free agent

Hotaka Yamakawa, former Pacific League MVP, filed his domestic FA option and has not found a suitor yet.

The Lions only offered him a one-year contract. In 2023, he was suspended by the team for majority of the season after alleged inappropriate sexual assault on a woman.  

He was legally cleared with no indictment, but the Lions chose not to play him for the remainder of the season as he only practiced with the san-gun unit. 

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