The Chiba Lotte Marines have acquired former Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters third baseman Brandon Laird, the team announced on Monday.
Laird joined the Fighters in 2015 after stints in the majors with the New York Yankees and Houston Astros. The 31-year-old was named MVP in Nippon Ham's Japan Series victory against the Hiroshima Carp in 2016, the year he led the Pacific League in home runs.
Laird said he is really grateful for the opportunity and will try his best to contribute to the Marines becoming No. 1 in Japan.
Lotte belted78 homers last season, the worst in the league, and had been looking to add power to its lineup.
In his four years with the Fighters, Laird batted .240 with 131 home runs and 349 hits in 543 games.
