We had a real trade and a transfer that is called a trade in Japan, but isn’t what most people raised in America would consider one, although both of these transactions had a “return to sender” feel about them.
We also learned recently that a pitcher who likely needs Tommy John surgery has been hoping to get better without it.
I also wrote a little about the Hanshin Tigers and their real expectations for their imports.
The trade
The Seibu Lions are sending 26-year-old utility infielder to the Nippon Ham Fighters in exchange for 25-year-old utility infielder Ryusei Sato, whom the Lions sent to Sapporo in the middle of last season.
The trade is Nippon Ham’s second this autumn after they sent second baseman Ryo Watanabe to the Tigers for speedy outfielder Taiga Egoshi.
The non trade
The Hiroshima Carp announced Wednesday that they have traded outfielder Hisayoshi Chono to the Yomiuri Giants for nothing, not even a bag of baseballs.
This is called a “non-compensation trade” in Japanese, and they happen occasionally for a variety of reasons, the most famous of which was the Daiei Hawks assigning star slugger Hiroki Kokubo to the Yomiuri Giants in 2004, supposedly to gain the Giants support for the Daiei owner to stay on in that position despite his no longer being qualified according to NPB rules.
The Carp acquired Chono from the Giants as part of their compensation package when Yomiuri signed two-time Central League MVP Yoshihiro Maru in 2019.
Okugawa mulling Tommy John
Pitcher Yasunobu Okugawa, who looked for all the world in 2021 like he would be the Yakult Swallows big pitching star of the future, was hurt in his season debut and basically never bounced back.
According to reports, he has so far opted for therapy on his elbow sprain, but has not been making the expected progress. Surgery now would rule him out until the summer of 2024, but there is no word on whether he is ready to go that route.
