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Kaima Taira, Hiromi Itoh among Japanese pitchers posted to MLB

A pair of Japanese pitchers will be posted to Major League Baseball, their NPB clubs announced over the weekend. The Seibu Lions announced on Saturday they plan to post Japanese pitcher Kaima Taira. On Sunday, the Nippon-Ham Fighters announced they…

By Eric Stephen · True Blue LA

Published: Monday, 2 November 2026 at 3:05 PM

Key Things to Know

NPB clubs announced that pitchers Kaima Taira and Hiromi Itoh will be posted to Major League Baseball.
Both pitchers meet the age and experience criteria to sign as standard major league free agents.
Posted NPB players have a 45-day window to negotiate and finalize a major league contract.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Japanese pitchers Kaima Taira and Hiromi Itoh will be posted to Major League Baseball, their respective Nippon Professional Baseball clubs announced over the weekend. The Seibu Lions confirmed plans to post Taira, while the Nippon-Ham Fighters announced they will post ace right-hander Itoh. Both players qualify to sign as major league free agents rather than under international amateur bonus caps.

Once officially posted, players receive a 45-day window to negotiate a contract, with postings anticipated early due to an upcoming December 1 lockout deadline. Taira posted a 1.36 ERA over 146 innings in 2026, while Itoh pitched to a 3.18 ERA across 172 2/3 innings for Nippon-Ham.

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Kaima Taira, Hiromi Itoh among Japanese pitchers posted to MLB

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