Japan's World Baseball Classic-winning member Hotaka Yamakawa was removed from the Seibu Lions active roster Friday, a day after weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun reported in its online edition that the power hitter had allegedly sexually assaulted a woman.
The 31-year-old, three-time Pacific League home run champion allegedly assaulted a female companion in her 20s at a Tokyo hotel, with the Metropolitan Police Department on Thursday revealing that an investigation is under way.
The infielder's removal from the roster was "a comprehensive decision" in which his "condition" was also considered, the Lions said.
Yamakawa was not seen training at Seibu's Belluna Dome on Friday ahead of a league game against the Rakuten Eagles.
The PL's 2018 Most Valuable Player, Yamakawa won his third home run title last year when he also led the PL in RBIs for the first time. He played for Japan in its run to the WBC title in March.
Yamakawa is batting .254 with five RBIs and no homers in 17 games this season, in which he was sidelined with an injury for a while.
