Rakuten Monkeys Deregister McSweeney; Genki Sakakibara Eyed for Upcoming Six-Game Stretch

The Rakuten Monkeys officially deregistered foreign pitcher Morgan McSweeney today. Genki Sakakibara, who previously posted a 7.17 ERA in the farm league, has been added to the active roster. Manager Tseng Hao-chu indicated that Sakakibara may be utilized during the team’s upcoming stretch of six consecutive games.

As the team prepares for a demanding six-game schedule starting on the 23rd, manager Tseng outlined the current starting rotation, which includes foreign pitchers Pedro Fernandez, Tyler Eppler, and Kyle Marman, alongside domestic starters Tseng Chia-hui and Chen Ke-yi. Liu Chia-hsiang will be sent to the farm team following his start today.

Regarding Sakakibara, who pitched 0.2 innings in the minor league yesterday, Tseng admitted that management is considering inserting him into the rotation during the six-game series. While initial reports suggested a potential demotion for McSweeney, the club subsequently confirmed his permanent removal from the roster.

McSweeney concludes his tenure with a 1-4 record and a 5.08 ERA across nine appearances (eight starts). Sakakibara, a right-handed pitcher who joined the Monkeys in March after stints in Japan’s independent leagues, has recorded a 1-2 record with a 7.17 ERA over nine minor league games (eight starts), striking out 13 batters while issuing 14 walks over 37.2 innings.