Takahiro Arai Speaks After Carp Release Four Players: “I Feel Deeply for Their Parents”

The Hiroshima Carp announced on October 1 that they would not renew the contracts of Kaito Kozono, Masaya Yano, Seita Maekawa and Shunsuke Tamura for the 2027 season.

Following the announcement, manager Takahiro Arai spoke to reporters about the club's decision to release the four players.

Arai said he did not know all the facts surrounding the situation, but expressed his sadness and regret over the outcome.

“I don't know exactly what the facts are, but given how things have turned out, I feel very sorry and regretful.”

The decision comes amid the controversy surrounding former Carp player Ryutaro Hatsuki and so-called “zombie tobacco,” a product containing the designated drug etomidate.

Hatsuki was convicted in May after being accused of using the substance. During the investigation, police searched the homes of Yano and Maekawa, and the two were reportedly referred to prosecutors on September 25.

Kozono and Tamura were also photographed alongside Yano and a man who was convicted of supplying the substance to Hatsuki. The photographs were subsequently reported by a weekly magazine.

The Carp's Baseball Operations Director Kiyoaki Suzuki said the club had not confirmed that any of the four players had actually used etomidate. However, the organization determined that it would be difficult to maintain a relationship of trust with the players going forward and chose not to renew their contracts.

“When I think about their parents, it hurts”

Asked about the impact of losing four players who could have contributed on the field, Arai set the baseball implications aside.

“Putting that aside, as a parent myself, when I think about their parents, it becomes very painful for me.”

The four players are all relatively young, ranging from 23 to 27 years old.

Arai said he had spoken with each player individually following the club's decision. However, he declined to reveal what he told them.

“I don't really feel comfortable talking about that myself here. I'd rather have you ask them about it directly.”

The comments reflected the personal difficulty Arai appeared to feel about the situation, separate from the club's formal decision.

“They are still young”

Arai was also asked whether the club's decision should be viewed as a statement of its stance on the controversy.

He declined to comment on the club's judgment itself.

“The club made that decision, and that's all there is to it. It's not more than that or less than that. It's not really my place to comment on the decision itself.”

Instead, Arai focused on what he hopes will happen to the four players from this point forward.

“But they are still young. I hope the fans and everyone who has supported them will continue to watch over them warmly from here on.”

For Arai, the four players' departures mark a difficult moment not only for the Carp but also for young players whose professional careers are still far from over.

While the club has decided to move forward without them, Arai's message was that their baseball careers and their lives beyond Hiroshima should not be defined solely by this episode.