Yakult Swallows right-hander Shingo Takatsu on Tuesday opted to exercise his free agency and is hoping to land a deal with a major league club.
Takatsu, 34, who qualified for free agency in 2000 and has been keen to try his luck in North America, put on hold the offer of a one-year deal worth 270 million yen from the Central League club at the end of last month.
"I thought the best thing to do would be to sign a new deal with Yakult but I don't want to have any regrets and if (major league or other) clubs come in with offers I'm willing to listen," said Takatsu.
Takatsu, this season's most valuable reliever in the CL, had been seeking a multiyear deal with the Swallows.