The Yomiuri Giants are not ready to release disgruntled pitcher Balvino Galvez, the general manager of the Central League club said Monday.
"We still need Galvez on our team if we are to remain at 100 percent and the club will not release him," said Hiroyuki Yamamuro, who hinted that the Dominican pitcher's only way out of a contract with Yomiuri is to retire from baseball.
Yamamuro said the club's intentions have already been communicated to Galvez's agent, who has requested a meeting with the Giants' front office.
Galvez, assigned to the Giants' farm team last month after a disappointing 0-6 start, indicated last week that he wanted to be released.
Galvez, in his fifth season in Japan, was taken off Yomiuri's active roster May 13 and has been playing for the club's Eastern League team.
PL fines Higashio
The Pacific League on Monday fined Seibu Lions manager Osamu Higashio 80,000 yen and issued a severe warning for insulting an umpire in the Lions' 17-3 loss to the Nippon Ham Fighters on Saturday.
Higashio was ejected from the game after insulting Takeshi Hirabayashi in the sixth inning when the third-base umpire ruled that Nippon Ham slugger Atsushi Kataoka had not gone around on a half-swing.