Baseball: Eagles to release pitcher Anraku over workplace abuse

Baseball: Eagles to release pitcher Anraku over workplace abuse

Masayuki Morii, president of the Pacific League's Rakuten Eagles, speaks at a press conference in Sendai, northeastern Japan, on Nov. 30, 2023, after the team released pitcher Tomohiro Anraku for his pattern of abusive behavior toward teammates.

Baseball club Rakuten's 1st-round draft pick pumps fist

Baseball club Rakuten's 1st-round draft pick pumps fist

MATSUYAMA, Japan - Tomohiro Anraku (front), a pitcher for Saibi High School in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, western Japan, reacts with a victory pose after being chosen in the first-round draft by the Pacific League professional baseball club Rakuten Eagles at his school on Oct. 23, 2014.

Rakuten wins negotiation right to 1st-round draft pick

Rakuten wins negotiation right to 1st-round draft pick

TOKYO, Japan - Rakuten Eagles President Yozo Tachibana (L) shakes hands with the Pacific League professional baseball team's new manager Hiromoto Okubo in Tokyo on Oct. 23, 2013, after successfully winning the negotiation right to Saibi High School pitcher Tomohiro Anraku.

Saibi High School's Anraku pitches hard

Saibi High School's Anraku pitches hard

NISHINOMIYA, Japan - Saibi High School right-hander Tomohiro Anraku throws against Urawagakuin High School in the final of the national high school baseball invitational tournament at Koshien Stadium in Hyogo Prefecture on April 2, 2013. Urawagakuin beat Saibi 17-1 to clinch a pennant.

Saibi High School's Anraku pitches hard

Saibi High School's Anraku pitches hard

NISHINOMIYA, Japan - Saibi High School right-hander Tomohiro Anraku pitches in a game against Koryo High School at the national high school baseball invitational tournament at Koshien Stadium in Hyogo Prefecture on March 26, 2013. Anraku lead the team to 4-3 victory with a 13-inning complete game.

Saibi High School's Anraku pitches hard

Saibi High School's Anraku pitches hard

NISHINOMIYA, Japan - Saibi High School right-hander Tomohiro Anraku pitches in a game against Koryo High School at the national high school baseball invitational tournament at Koshien Stadium in Hyogo Prefecture on March 26, 2013. Anraku lead the team to 4-3 victory with a 13-inning complete game.

Baseball club Rakuten's 1st-round draft pick pumps fist

Baseball club Rakuten's 1st-round draft pick pumps fist

MATSUYAMA, Japan - Tomohiro Anraku (front), a pitcher for Saibi High School in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, western Japan, reacts with a victory pose after being chosen in the first-round draft by the Pacific League professional baseball club Rakuten Eagles at his school on Oct. 23, 2014. (Kyodo)

Rakuten wins negotiation right to 1st-round draft pick

Rakuten wins negotiation right to 1st-round draft pick

TOKYO, Japan - Rakuten Eagles President Yozo Tachibana (L) shakes hands with the Pacific League professional baseball team's new manager Hiromoto Okubo in Tokyo on Oct. 23, 2013, after successfully winning the negotiation right to Saibi High School pitcher Tomohiro Anraku. (Kyodo)

Baseball: Anraku earns 1st win as Rakuten opens gap on SoftBank

Baseball: Anraku earns 1st win as Rakuten opens gap on SoftBank

Tomohiro Anraku of the Rakuten Eagles pitches against the SoftBank Hawks in a Pacific League game at Sendai's Kobo Park Miyagi on June 30, 2017. Anraku earned his first win of the year as Rakuten won 4-3. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo