Panamanian infielder Julio Zuleta has failed in his bid to re-sign with the Softbank Hawks of Japan's Pacific League and will become a free agent on Nov. 30.
Zuleta, who batted .281 with 29 homers and 91 RBIs this season for the Hawks, was seeking a multiyear deal with Softbank, but talks broke down.
Zuleta said that the Hawks offered a one-year deal that didn't even include a raise in salary. Zuleta, who has major league experience with the Chicago Cubs, spent four productive seasons with the Hawks, compiling a .291 batting average, 122 homers and 333 RBIs.