Japanese infielder Akinori Iwamura departed for the United States on Tuesday before the Tampa Bay Devil Rays open their spring training camp in Florida on Feb. 22.
"I want to play baseball soon as I'm prepared physically," said Iwamura, who signed a three-year, $7.7 million contract in December after Tampa Bay won the rights to negotiate with the former Yakult Swallows star under the posting system. Tampa Bay is scheduled to hold a press conference for Iwamura on his 28th birthday on Friday.