YOKOHAMA (Kyodo) Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles ace Hisashi Iwakuma will be removed from the active roster due to pain in his right elbow, team sources said on Wednesday.
Iwakuma, who was diagnosed with inflammation in his right triceps at a Yokohama hospital the same day, will be deactivated on Thursday and miss his next scheduled start in the rotation, Rakuten manager Katsuya Nomura said.
Iwakuma helped guide Japan to its second consecutive World Baseball Classic title in March but has been struggling ever since the pennant race got underway this season. He is currently 6-4 with a 2.84 ERA in 11 games.