Masahiro Tanaka is leaving the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.

The team issued a release on Sunday afternoon saying that “as the result of discussions with the player” Tanaka would not be included on the team’s list of players eligible for contracts next season.

Tanaka also announced the news on his YouTube channel.

“I will not be signing a contract with the Rakuten Eagles for next year,” Tanaka said. “I have decided to look for a new team.”

The star pitcher struggled with his condition in 2024 and made just one appearance on the top team, allowing four runs in five innings against the Orix Buffaloes on Sept. 28.

“I have to say thank you to the team officials, staff and teammates who supported me until now,” Tanaka said. “I’m sure I will have a chance to meet you again, but I was really happy to return to Sendai from the majors and play together.”

Tanaka is one of the biggest stars in the history of the Rakuten franchise, which began play in the 2005 season.

Tanaka spent his entire NPB career with the Sendai-based club. The team drafted the right-hander in 2006, and he quickly became a star on the mound. Tanaka won the Rookie of the Year award in the Pacific League in 2007 and won his first Sawamura Award in 2011.

Tanaka made history two seasons later, going 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA in 212 innings in the regular season to help lead the Eagles to their first-ever PL pennant. He suffered his only loss of that calendar year in Game 6 of the Japan Series against the Yomiuri Giants. He famously took the mound in the ninth inning of Game 7 the next day to close out the series and give Rakuten its first Japan Series triumph.

Tanaka won his second Sawamura Award in 2013 and was also named PL MVP.

He made the PL Best Nine team in 2011 and 2013 and won three Golden Gloves from 2011 to 2013.

Tanaka moved to MLB following the 2013 season and spent seven years with the New York Yankees. He was 78-46 in the majors with a 3.74 ERA in 1,054⅓ innings and made two All-Star teams.

Tanaka returned to the Eagles for the 2021 season. He was solid on the mound but never approached the heights he reached in his first stint with the club. He had one of his worst seasons in 2023, posting a 4.91 ERA in 139⅓ innings.

“After I returned to Sendai, my goal was to make the Eagles No. 1 in Japan,” he said. “I played with that desire. It’s regrettable that we could not reach that goal during these four years.

Tanaka is 119-68 in his career in Japan and is three victories away from reaching 200 wins combined between NPB and MLB.