The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks have signed 32-year-old Hotaka Yamakawa, a seasoned right-handed power hitter and free agent from the Seibu Lions. Yamakawa, with three home run titles and one RBI title to his name, faced a setback this year due to allegations of sexual assault against a female acquaintance in May. Though not indicted for lack of evidence, he was suspended indefinitely by the Seibu Lions in September, leading to a season with no home runs in 17 games.
Yamakawa publicly apologized for the trouble caused during his entry press conference at the PayPay Dome in Fukuoka City. He joined the Hawks, motivated by their strong desire to win and collaborative spirit. Acknowledging the potential for criticism, Yamakawa expressed his intention to start anew, focusing on step-by-step progress.
He chose jersey number ’25’ to symbolize his role as a long-distance batter. Sadaharu Oh, Chairman of the SoftBank Hawks, commented on the positive opportunity for Yamakawa to demonstrate sincere commitment to baseball and potentially inspire others. Hiroki Kokubo, the team’s manager, looks forward to Yamakawa strengthening the Hawks and is committed to providing an environment for his full dedication to the sport. Source: SoftBank Hawks / NHK / KBC
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