The Yokohama BayStars opted not to extend the contract of slugger Tony Blanco and have released the Dominican first baseman, the Central League club announced on Tuesday.

Blanco, 34, was notified the same day as the Nippon Professional Baseball’s commissioner’s office announced the names of 125 players being released from a list of reserve players.

Blanco joined the Chunichi Dragons in 2009 and won both the home run and RBI titles the same season.

After moving to Yokohama in 2013, Blanco won the batting title and was the CL’s RBI leader that season, but due to injuries he was limited to just 17 homers and 60 RBIs with a .283 batting average in 85 games this year. Cuba’s Yulieski Gurriel, who joined the team midseason, made the reserve roster.

Wily Mo Pena, who hit 32 homers and had 90 RBIs for the Orix Buffaloes, and the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles’ Andruw Jones were also among those released.

Jose Lopez, who had a team-high 22 home runs for the Yomiuri Giants, was also left off the reserve roster as were Bryan Bullington, Kam Mickolio and Kila Ka’aihue from the Hiroshima Carp. Seth Greisinger, who went 5-4 with a 4.54 ERA in 13 starts in his seventh year in Japan, was released by the Chiba Lotte Marines.

Orix released the most players with 17.

Osera gets pay rise

KYODO

Hiroshima Carp right-hander Daichi Osera received a ¥20 million raise on Tuesday, when the Central League rookie of the year signed his contract for next year.

Osera, who joined the Carp as their first-round draft pick a year ago, saw his salary jump from ¥15 million to an estimated ¥35 million. Osera went 10-8 in 26 games, and despite his 4.05 earned run average, held his spot in the Carp rotation the entire season.

“I want to have an ERA in the twos,” said the 23-year-old who struck out 116 batters in 151 innings, but also tied for the league high in home runs allowed with 20.

Two relievers, right-handers Ryuji Ichioka and Ren Nakata, also received raises.

Ichioka, who saw his salary rise from ¥13.5 million to ¥24 million, came to the Carp as part of the compensation package for the Yomiuri Giants’ signing of free agent right-hander Kan Otake a year ago.

With just 15⅓ career innings for the Giants, he established himself as Hiroshima’s most effective middle reliever, posting a 0.58 ERA in a season shortened to 31 games through injury.

Nakata, who led the team with 66 games on the mound, stepped into a larger role towards the end of the season. The 24-year-old struck out 69 batters in 78⅔ innings, while posting a 3.92 ERA. His salary increased from ¥16 million to ¥30 million.