He scored four runs and one loss in five innings, put down his annual salary of 1.5 billion won, ace number 18 and started anew, and proved himself with 197 wins in his career.

Dec 26, 2024

Tanaka, who wrote Ace's uniform number 18, starts anew at Yomiuri with number 11. Yomiuri left ace Sugano's number 18 empty after leaving for the Major League Baseball. Photo capture =Miuri Giants SNS

Coach Yomiuri Abe handing his hat to Tanaka at the joining press conference on the 25th. Abe has a relationship with Tanaka, who was with the Japanese national team at the WBC, through battery. Photo capture =Miuri Giants SNS

Tanaka signed a contract with Yomiuri for 160 million yen. Tanaka, who pitched in one game and lost one game this season, was honored. Photo capture =Miuri Giants SNS

He held the hand of Masahiro Tanaka (36), who was on the verge of retirement, and even gave him a Christmas gift. Tanaka vowed to revive next season at a press conference for joining the Yomiuri Giants on the 25th. He thanked Yomiuri for offering to join the team. There was no reason to hesitate." Then "I have to prove myself. I will try to repay you with the results."

Tanaka, who ran out of the Rakuten Eagles, couldn't find a new team. The Chunichi Dragons and Yakult Swallows were rumored to have expressed interest, with both teams turning pessimistic about Tanaka's next season. In danger of becoming lost, Yomiuri appeared like a savior.

The salary stands out. A total of 160 million yen (about 1.48 billion won) including incentives. 100 million yen was cut from the 260 million yen (about 2.41 billion won) annual salary received from Rakuten this year. The cut is less than expected. No matter how much Tanaka is a legend aiming for a career in the U.S. and Japan 200 wins, it is a lot of money considering his performance this season. He is a transfer player who cannot demand merit for his cumulative contribution.

Tanaka had surgery on his right elbow last fall. He recovered quickly after surgery and aimed to enter the opening entry. In this process, he did not make the first team game until just before the end of the season due to excessive force.

First appearance of the season against the Orix Buffaloes in late September. I didn't have high expectations, but I received a disastrous result. He allowed four runs in five innings and was replaced. He ended the season with one loss. It is the first time in 18 years that he has finished the season without a victory since becoming a professional player in 2007.

Rakuten has not been out of the B-Class (4th to 6th place out of 6 teams) for the second consecutive year. Coach Toshiaki Imae, who took the helm at the age of 41, was replaced shortly after the end of his debut season.

For a player whose job is baseball, annual salary is the result of the reason for existence and valuation. No matter how different the reasons may be, it will end up as money. Rakuten legend Tanaka's departure from his former team also came from his salary.

According to Japanese media, Rakuten's annual salary to Tanaka is 50 million yen (about 460 million won). This is a reduction of more than 200 million yen from this year. In Japanese professional baseball, player consent is required when salary is cut above the standard for each amount. Tanaka has refused to cut more than 40 percent. He must have felt that the club didn't need him.

Tanaka at the joining press conference on the 25th. He "I have to prove myself. I want to repay the Yomiuri." Photo capture =Miuri Giants SNS

Yomiuri ranked first in the Central League for the first time in four years this season. However, he failed to advance to the Japan Series after losing to Yokohama in the climax series. Photo capture =Miuri Giants SNS

Tanaka led Rakuten to its first win in the Japan Series with 24 wins and no losses in 2023 and a monstrous performance. He played an amazing game against Yomiuri in three Japan Series games. He pitched 160 complete pitches in Game 6 and pitched in relief in Game 7 to secure the championship. As a player who symbolizes the team for a long time, he must have clearly recognized the meaning of an annual salary of 50 million yen.

Tanaka, who commanded the Japanese professional baseball league, pitched seven seasons with the New York Yankees in the Major League Baseball. He won 78 games (46) in the major leagues and returned to Rakuten in 2021. The club treated the returning ace with the utmost respect. Tanaka received an annual salary of 900 million yen (about 8.35 billion won) for the second consecutive year between 2021 and 2022. He was the highest-paid player in the Japanese professional baseball league.

Poor performance accumulated and salary cuts continued. It fell to 475 million yen (about 4.4 billion won) in 2023. It fell to 260 million yen in 2024. 20 wins and 33 losses in four years. He won only four games in 2021, nine in 2022, and seven in 2023. In 2022-2023, he had the most losses for two consecutive years. With three wins left until the U.S.-Japan total of 200 wins, a sudden break was taken this season. Prior to Tanaka, Hideo Nomo, Hiroki Kuroda, and Yu Darvish exceeded the U.S.-Japan total of '200 wins'.

The average fastball speed dropped to the early-mid 140 kilometers. He tried to hold out with experience and official records, but he revealed his limitations. Tanaka hit 48 home runs in three years from 2021 to 2023. Last year, the hit rate was as high as 289.

Yomiuri is aiming to win the Japan Series for the first time in 13 years next season. Photo capture =Miuri Giants SNS

Photo capture=요Miuri Giants SNS

Manager Abe Shinnosuke, who led the recruitment, said, `We expect a double-digit win.' Tomoyuki Sugano, 35, who moved to the Baltimore Orioles in the Major League Baseball, asked to fill the vacancy. Sugano is the ace who became the most prolific winner this season with '15 wins'. I expect Tanaka to play the leader role of pitchers rather than wins. "Young pitchers alone are not enough," Abe said.

Some in Japanese baseball praise Yomiuri for his role as a representative team in Japanese professional baseball. There were many baseball players who thought that Tanaka, who contributed greatly to Japanese baseball as a whole, should not be allowed to retire because he could not find his team. The view is that regardless of the current performance, respect should be given. Yomiuri is Japan's first professional team and the most winning team.

In 2024, the 90th anniversary of its foundation, Yomiuri stood at the top of the Central League for the first time in four years. Unfortunately, he failed to advance to the Japan Series due to the gust of Yokohama BayStars. This winter, the Yomiuri Giants are making all-out efforts to strengthen their power to win the championship. The team has signed special closing pitcher Rydell Martinez (28) and Japanese national team catcher Takuya Kai (32). He signed a four-year contract with Martinez for 4.8 billion yen and Guy for four-year-2 billion yen. It is an amount that gives a glimpse of his strong will to win.

Yomiuri has not won the Japan Series since 2012. Since then, he has reached the Japan Series three times, but all three have collapsed in the final game.

Tanaka returned to the Major League in 2021 and won only 20 games in four years. It is less than 24 wins in 2023 alone. Photo capture =Miuri Giants SNS

Tanaka puts down Ace's uniform number '18' and throws it with '11'. If he plays in an interleague game with Rakuten, the Japanese professional baseball is likely to be shaken.

Reporter Min Chang-ki huelva@sportschosun.com

huelva@sportschosun.com