Overview
- Seibu announced Friday that right-hander Kaima Taira will be posted so he can pursue a move to Major League Baseball.
- Under NPB posting rules, MLB teams can begin formal talks with Taira on Nov. 1 and will have a 45-day window to reach a deal with the Lions then receiving a release fee.
- Multiple major-league clubs scouted Taira this season and several teams including the Yankees, Cubs, Mariners, Rangers, Angels, Tigers, Padres and White Sox have shown interest.
- Scouts praise Taira’s mid-to-upper-90s fastball and deep mix of secondary pitches but note his 5-foot-8 frame, past role shifts and injury history raise durability questions that could push some teams to use him as a reliever instead of a starter.
- The looming Dec. 1 expiration of MLB’s collective bargaining agreement could force teams and Taira to speed negotiations or pause the posting process during a possible lockout, a development that would affect timing, salary leverage and Seibu’s release fee.