Hiroshima Carp pitcher Masato Morishita announced on November 4, 2026, that he will exercise his domestic free agency rights, making him one of the most watched names on this offseason's market. Multiple clubs, among them SoftBank, the Yomiuri Giants and DeNA, could move to sign him.
Morishita joined Hiroshima as a first-round draft pick and won Rookie of the Year in 2020 with a 10-3 record and a 1.91 earned-run average. The following year he was selected for Samurai Japan at the Tokyo Olympics and started the final against the United States, throwing five scoreless innings to help secure the gold medal.
He has since held a place in the starting rotation and has reached double-digit wins three times. This season he struggled for consistency, going 7-11 with a 3.60 ERA in 23 appearances. He has the ability to win pitching titles, and a change of scenery could bring a sharp step up.
What Hiroshima could get back
A sports newspaper desk editor said Hiroshima cannot compete with wealthier clubs in a bidding war and should expect to lose players to free agency. The Giants and SoftBank, though, carry deep rosters, which means established names or promising young players may fall outside their protected lists and become available to Hiroshima as compensation.
“If Morishita moves, the player Hiroshima gets in compensation will be the thing to watch.”a sports newspaper desk editor
Hiroshima has been here before. When Yoshihiro Maru left for the Giants in free agency, the Carp received star outfielder Hisayoshi Chono as compensation. When Hiroshi Otake moved in free agency, Hiroshima got Ryuji Ichioka from the Giants. Ichioka pitched 59 games in both 2017 and 2018 as a setup man and contributed heavily to the club's three straight league titles.
Morishita is attached to Hiroshima, but he likely also wants to play for a team in the thick of a pennant race. Whatever decision he reaches after weighing it through, it will shape both his career and the Carp's roster.