Kona Takahashi Exercises Overseas FA Rights After 2.54 ERA Season
Kona Takahashi will exercise overseas free-agent rights after a 2.54 ERA season, reopening his path from the Seibu Lions to MLB.
World Baseball News Editorial Team , 2 min read 
Kona Takahashi will exercise his international free-agent rights, the Saitama Seibu Lions announced Monday, November 2, giving the 29-year-old right-hander a new path to Major League Baseball after a strong 2026 season.
The decision puts Takahashi back on the international market less than a year after his first MLB attempt ended with a return to Seibu. This time he is using overseas free agency rather than the posting system, a significant change that gives him control over the next step in his career.
Takahashi rebuilds his market with a strong 2026
Takahashi finished the 2026 NPB season with a 9-6 record and a 2.54 ERA in 22 starts. He worked 138 1/3 innings, struck out 114, walked 47 and allowed only 102 hits, producing a 1.08 WHIP.
He also completed three games and held opposing hitters to a .207 average. The season restored his value after an uneven two-year stretch: Takahashi went 0-11 with a 3.87 ERA in 2024, then rebounded to a 3.04 ERA across 148 innings in 2025.
His career record with Seibu stands at 82-83 with a 3.30 ERA over 1,337 1/3 innings. He has made 218 NPB appearances, all for the Lions, since debuting as an 18-year-old in 2015.
A second MLB opportunity arrives on different terms
Seibu posted Takahashi after the 2025 season, but he returned to Japan despite receiving interest from Major League clubs. MLB reported in January that he had three offers before signing a new deal with the Lions that included a route back to the open market.
Takahashi said Monday that he reached the decision after considering the next stage of his baseball career and prioritizing what he wanted to pursue. He also thanked the Lions for trusting him through difficult seasons and reflected on 12 years with the organization.
The timing makes this a pivotal offseason for Seibu. Kaima Taira, who recorded a 1.36 ERA in 2026, has also entered the MLB market through the posting system. The Lions could therefore lose two established starters through separate international routes.
Takahashi now reaches the market with momentum, a deep NPB track record and no need for Seibu to approve another posting. His 2026 performance gives clubs a more current picture than the one they evaluated last winter—and gives the right-hander another chance to turn a long-held MLB ambition into a contract.
