Rakuten's thirst for last place with 19 team home runs is imminent, and he's playing in Mexico

Jun 04, 2025

Rakuten's thirst for last place with 19 team home runs is imminent, and he's playing in Mexico
Rakuten's infielder Voight seeking to recruit. As a member of the New York Yankees, he became the home run king of the American League in 2020. He has been playing in the Mexican league since last year. AP Yonhap News



Rakuten Eagles foreign hitter Maikel Franco (32) played as a designated hitter in a home game against the Yokohama BayStars on the 3rd. He recorded one hit in four at-bats without an RBI on the first day of the Central League and Interleague (exchange match). He struck out twice in four at-bats. He has struck out five times in the last three games. Rakuten, which lost 3-6, is currently in fifth place in the Pacific League as of the 3rd.

If it fails to rebound in the interleague, it will be difficult to avoid the B-class (4th to 6th place out of 6 teams) for 4 consecutive years. Last year, Rakuten ended the season in fourth place even after surprising first place in the interleague. Immediately after the end of the season, coach Toshiaki was replaced on his forehead for the first time in a year.

Expectations from foreign hitters are generally similar to those of the KBO League and Japanese professional baseball. He has superior power and long-shot power than his own players. Franco hit 130 home runs in the Major League and came to Japan. However, Japanese baseball with strong pitchers is not easy. Franco had 95 games - 12 homers in 2023 and 63 games - 8 homers in 2024. His batting average was only in the early 20s. The results are far below expectations.




3rd year in Japanese professional baseball. There doesn't seem to be much difference from the last two seasons. He has a batting average of 0.224 (32 hits in 143 at-bats), two homers, 11 RBIs and an OPS of 0.569 in 46 games before the match against Yokohama on Thursday. This is a foreign player who should show his presence as a central hitter.

Rakuten brings a new slugger. Major League home run king infielder Luke Voit (34) is on the verge of being recruited. Kazuhisa Ishii, general manager of Rakuten, made Voight's joining a fait accompli, saying, `The contract is in the final stages.'

Voight made his big league debut with the st. Louis Cardinals in 2017. In 2020, he played in 56 games for the New York Yankees and hit 22 home runs. Due to COVID-19, it was shortened to 60 games per team, ranking first in home runs in the American League that year. Yokohama right-hander Trevor Bauer also released this season
Rakuten's thirst for last place with 19 team home runs is imminent, and he's playing in Mexico
Rakuten did not escape the B class for the third consecutive year between 2022-2024. As of the 3rd, he is in fifth place in the Pacific League. Photo capture = Rakuten Eagles SNS
He won the Cy Young Award after finishing first in ERA.

Voight exceeded 20 home runs three times in 2019-2020 and 2022. It has been six seasons with double-digit home runs, hitting a total of '95'. He clearly showed his ability to produce home runs. He has been on a downward spiral since 2021, with his batting average falling to the low 20% range. He played 22 games for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2023 and disappeared from the major leagues.

He played in the Mexican league since last year. He hit a batting average of 0.270-23 home runs in 2024. He had 11 home runs this year. He would have sought to return to the Major League, but this was also not easy.

Voit hit .253-276 RBIs in 508 major league games. He has a lot of experience in Major League Baseball. However, it is hard to predict success based on experience. Previous grades are only references. Voight comes to Japan in his mid-30s, when he peaks and drops sharply.




Rakuten had 19 team home runs until the 3rd. Along with Yakult Swallows, they are the last in home runs in both leagues. It is less than half of the number one Nippon-Ham Fighters (48) in the Pacific League. Hideto Asamura hit four, making one home run in the team.

Rakuten's thirst for last place with 19 team home runs is imminent, and he's playing in Mexico
Rakuten stepped up to reinforce the central lineup. It is seeking to recruit Voight, a former home run king in the Major League. Photo capture = Rakuten Eagles SNS
Earlier, Andrew Jones, a former Major League home run king, ended his career at Rakuten. He played for two seasons from 2013 to 2014 and posted '50 home runs - 165 RBIs'. He contributed to Rakuten's first championship in 2013.

Reporter Min Chang-ki huelva@sportschosun.com



This article was translated by Naver AI translator.