The Chunichi Dragons have acquired slugger Omar Linares, a veteran Cuban stalwart who helped the country to two Olympic gold medals, officials of the Central League club said Wednesday.
Linares is the first player allowed by Cuban baseball officials to join a professional league outside the Caribbean country, which has dominated amateur baseball for decades with a number of titles at major international tournaments.
Linares, who is scheduled to arrive in Japan after the all-star series next month, will play for Chunichi until the end of the season with a monthly salary of $4,000 and no signing bonus.
The 34-year-old infielder has won admiration as a national hero after helping Cuba claim the gold at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, where baseball made its debut as an official medal event, and in Atlanta four years later.