Hiroshima Carp Face Triple Free-Agent Threat as Three Core Players Enter Market
Hiroshima’s Hiroki Tokoda, Masato Morishita and Shogo Sakakura have entered NPB free agency, putting three core players on the market.
World Baseball News Editorial Team , 2 min read 
The Hiroshima Toyo Carp face the possibility of losing three core players in the same offseason after pitchers Hiroki Tokoda and Masato Morishita and catcher Shogo Sakakura were officially listed among Nippon Professional Baseball’s 2026 free-agent declarations on Tuesday.
All three filed for domestic free agency. It is the first time in Carp history that three players have exercised their rights in the same year, turning what is usually an individual contract decision into a defining offseason for the club.
- Hiroki Tokoda: left-handed starting pitcher, 8-6 with a 2.76 ERA in 2026
- Masato Morishita: right-handed starting pitcher, 7-11 with a 3.60 ERA
- Shogo Sakakura: catcher and middle-of-the-order bat, .251 with 15 home runs and 74 RBIs
- Negotiations: free agents may begin talks with other clubs on November 11
Two rotation anchors enter the market together
Tokoda, 31, enters free agency after the strongest 2026 season of the trio. Hiroshima’s Opening Day starter worked 143 1/3 innings across 23 starts, finishing 8-6 with a 2.76 ERA. He completed enough innings to qualify for the ERA title for a fourth consecutive season.
The left-hander has spent all 10 of his professional seasons with the Carp, compiling a 65-59 career record and a 2.96 ERA. His durability and ability to control games from the left side make him one of the most attractive starters available inside NPB.
Morishita, 29, also made 23 starts. He went 7-11 with a 3.60 ERA, striking out 112 batters in 137 2/3 innings. The right-hander has been a central part of Hiroshima’s rotation since winning Central League Rookie of the Year in 2020.
Losing either starter would force the Carp to replace a major workload. Losing both would remove 46 starts and more than 280 innings from the rotation in one move.
Sakakura adds a premium catcher to free agency
Sakakura’s decision creates a different problem. The 28-year-old appeared in 140 games in 2026 and hit .251 with 15 home runs, 74 RBIs and a .725 OPS. His value comes from supplying left-handed power while handling one of the sport’s most demanding positions.
Hiroshima has indicated that players may remain with the club even after declaring free agency, so the official listing does not mean any departure is certain. It does, however, allow all three to hear offers and compare the Carp’s plans with opportunities elsewhere.
NPB lists 10 declared free agents
NPB announced that 10 of 105 eligible players exercised free-agent rights. Eight filed as domestic free agents: Tokoda, Morishita, Sakakura, Rakuten catcher Hikaru Ota, Chiba Lotte pitcher Kazuya Ojima, Orix infielders Yuma Mune and Keita Nakagawa, and Chunichi outfielder Seiji Uebayashi.
Seibu pitcher Kona Takahashi and Yokohama DeNA catcher Yasuyuki Tobashira were the two players listed with overseas free-agent rights.
For Hiroshima, the league-wide list carries a concentrated risk. The Carp are not simply trying to retain three productive players; they are trying to preserve the top of their rotation, their primary catcher and a significant part of their lineup at the same time.
