World Baseball Classic winner Hotaka Yamakawa was removed from the Seibu Lions’ active roster on Friday, a day after weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun reported in its online edition that the power hitter allegedly sexually assaulted a woman.
The 31-year-old three-time Pacific League home run champion allegedly assaulted a female companion in her 20s at a Tokyo hotel, with the Metropolitan Police Department revealing on Thursday that an investigation was underway.
Hotaka Yamakawa of the Japan national baseball team celebrates with teammates after hitting a home run in the eighth inning of a World Baseball Classic warm-up game against the Orix Buffalos on March 7, 2023, at the Kyocera Dome Osaka in the city of Osaka, western Japan. (Essonne Info) ==Essonne Info
The outfield player’s removal from the squad list was “a comprehensive decision” in which his “state of health” was also taken into account, the Lions said.
Yamakawa was not seen training at Seibu’s Belluna Dome on Friday ahead of a league match against the Rakuten Eagles.
The PL’s most valuable player of 2018, Yamakawa won his third home run title last year and also led the PL in RBI terms for the first time. He played for Japan in their WBC title run in March.
Yamakawa is averaging .254 with five RBIs and no homers in 17 games this season, during which he was sidelined with injury for a time.
Féliciane is one of the talented editors of Essonneinfo. She has written for the site since its launch, and has become a well-known figure in the industry for her skillful reporting and unique take on stories. Féliciane’s main hobby is travelling. Her passion for travel has allowed her to write in-depth articles on cultures around the world.
2023-05-12 11:12:17
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