Seibu Lions Approve Kaima Taira’s MLB Posting After 1.36 ERA Season
Seibu Lions approve Kaima Taira's MLB posting after a 12-5 season and 1.36 ERA. The Japanese right-hander can now seek a major-league deal.
World Baseball News Editorial Team , 2 min read 
The Saitama Seibu Lions have approved pitcher Kaima Taira’s request to pursue a move to Major League Baseball through the posting system, the club announced Friday, October 30. The decision opens an MLB opportunity for one of Japan’s most effective starters after a season in which he led the Pacific League with a 1.36 ERA.
Taira, 26, went 12-5 in 23 starts in 2026, his first full season back in the rotation after working as Seibu’s closer in 2025. He is not yet an MLB player: the Lions’ approval allows the posting process to begin, with a contract and destination still to be determined.
From saves leader to ERA champion
The right-hander’s route to the majors has been unusually versatile. He won the Pacific League’s top middle-reliever award in 2022 and led the league in saves in 2025 before asking to return to starting in 2026. His 1.36 ERA over 146 innings earned him his first ERA title, and he finished the year with 12 victories against five defeats.
Seibu said Taira had repeatedly adapted to the roles the club needed. Baseball operations chief Koji Hiroike explained that the team now wanted to honor the pitcher’s long-standing ambition to test himself against MLB hitters. Hiroike praised Taira’s ability to maintain his stuff deep into starts and elevate his performance with runners on base.
Taira, a fourth-round selection in Japan’s 2017 draft, has spent nine seasons in the Lions organization. In the club’s announcement, he said he had wanted to play in the majors for a long time and felt he was finally taking a step toward that goal. He also thanked Seibu’s staff and teammates for his years with the club.
Posting approval is the first step
Because Taira does not hold international free-agent rights, the posting system is the route through which an MLB club can negotiate for his services. Seibu said it would begin the required procedures; no MLB team or contract has been announced.
His combination of relief experience, starting durability and a league-best ERA gives the right-hander a compelling case as he prepares to explore the American market. For the Lions, Friday’s decision means potentially losing a pitcher who just delivered one of the strongest seasons in Japanese baseball.
