Tsuruoka joins the Tigers

Rather than take a young pitcher or position player in compensation for losing Kubo, Tigers opted to provide a home for another superannuated has been catcher - Kazunari Tsuruoka who's value to DeNA was such that he was left off the protected list. Whilst Tsuruoka did enjoy a career year with the bat last year that is no justification for bringing in another useless veteran. One wonders when the Tigers management will realise - the good and valuable catchers don't become available just like that. Of the past two signings, Fujii and Hidaka - both have proved to be disasters with Fujii even failing to throw out five batters last season. Tigers management needs to focus on developing their talented young catchers instead of blindly and stubbornly clinging to the notion that you need 'experience' and 'veteran' catchers to be successful.

Tsuruoka has been given No. 40 as his shirt number. This meant that Takamiya's number changed to 34.