Sports · Baseball · 10 hrs ago
Nippon-Ham Fighters announce departures of Castro and Lao
The Nippon-Ham Fighters have announced that Rodolfo Castro and Saurlin Lao are leaving after one season with the Japanese baseball team.
Castro, an infielder from the Dominican Republic, played 71 games this season and hit eight home runs, with a .215 batting average.
Lao, also from the Dominican Republic, pitched in three games and had a 3.60 earned-run average.
In October, while the Fighters were playing in the Climax Series, Castro said an arrest warrant had been issued against him at home.
He reported that the warrant was linked to a dispute over money and the construction of a home.
Both players are leaving after just one season, but the team has not said what prompted the departures or announced what comes next for them.
The Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters announced that pitcher Saulin Lao and infielder Rodolfo Castro will leave the team.
Both players joined the team for the first time this season and are departing after one season.
Castro played 71 games, batting .215 with eight home runs and 24 RBIs.
Lao made three first-team appearances and had a 3.60 earned-run average.
In October, Castro said an arrest warrant had been issued against him in the Dominican Republic.
- Who
- Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters announced the departures of Saulin Lao and Rodolfo Castro.
- What
- The two players are leaving the team after one season.
- When
- The announcement was made on November 3, 2026.
- Where
- Hokkaido, Japan; Castro’s reported legal trouble was in the Dominican Republic.
- Why
- Not stated.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Castro said on social media that an arrest warrant had been issued against him in the Dominican Republic.
Nippon-Ham announced that Castro would return home urgently.
Nippon-Ham announced that Castro and Lao would leave the team.
- Departure announcement
- November 3, 2026
- Castro appearances
- 71 games
- Castro batting average
- .215
- Castro home runs
- 8
- Lao appearances
- 3 games
- Lao earned-run average
- 3.60
3 sources
What people are saying
I didn’t expect this
I’m so shocked