Three-time Pacific League home run leader Hotaka Yamakawa, who was suspended indefinitely this summer by the Seibu Lions after he was accused of sexual assault, will become a domestic free agent, the club said Tuesday.
In May, Yamakawa's case was referred to prosecutors in Tokyo, but in August, they declined to bring charges against him.
"I hope people will understand my resolve to continue to bear this heavy responsibility as I go forward in my baseball career," the 31-year-old said in a statement released by the Lions.
The 2018 Pacific League MVP, Yamakawa led the PL in homers for the third time last season and in RBIs for the first time, earning a spot on Japan's national team for this year's World Baseball Classic.
