The Chiba Lotte Marines have announced today that they have signed slugger Wily Mo Pena on a one-year contract worth 33 million Yen (300,000 USD), he will also wear the uniform number 54 according to the report. He is scheduled to arrive in Japan as early as next week.
Wily Mo Pena signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians back in February 26 of this year after spending four seasons playing for a total of three different teams in Japan (Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, Orix Buffaloes, and Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles respectively), he batted .264/.355/.400 with 71 homeruns and 222 RBIs during that span.
Wily Mo Pena is well known for his majestic homeruns in Japan, so no doubt in mind NPB fans are certainly in a treat to see one of their most powerful, and huggable players back again in their league.