Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters right-hander Yusaku Iriki, who had hoped to make a switch to the major leagues via the so-called posting system, was released by the Pacific League club on Monday.
Nippon Ham waived its right to continue talks with the 33-year-old, who has decided to pursue negotiations with major league clubs directly.
Iriki failed to draw any bids from major league teams through the posting system last month but made requests that he be allowed to use the bidding system again or become a free agent.
Iriki has a 35-35 career record with three saves and a 3.73 ERA.
This year, he was 6-7 with a 3.35 ERA in 28 games.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.