Hanshin Tigers reliever Jeff Williams will need about three months before returning to action from a knee injury, officials of the Central League club said Saturday.
Williams underwent surgery on his left knee for the second time in four months on March 2 and will continue rehabilitation in the United States setting his sights on a comeback in late June shortly after the end of interleague play.
Williams went 3-3 with a 2.11 ERA in 75 games last year, helping Hanshin win the league title by propping up the bullpen with fellow setup man Kyuji Fujikawa and closer Tomoyuki Kubota.
The 33-year-old Australian left-hander had knee surgery in the offseason but the delay in recovery from the injury prompted him to go under the knife again.