Yankees sell rights to pitcher Rasner for $1 million to team in Japan

Updated: November 15, 2008, 9:10 PM ET
By Jerry Crasnick | ESPN.com

Darrell Rasner

Rasner

Starting Pitcher
New York Yankees

Profile

2008 Season Stats
GM W L BB K ERA
24 5 10 39 67 5.40
Right-handed pitcher Darrell Rasner, who started 20 games for the New York Yankees last season, has been sold to a team in Japan for $1 million, his agent said.

Rasner, 27, expects to sign a two-year deal with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Pacific League, agent Matt Sosnick said.

Sosnick said he and Rasner recently approached New York general manager Brian Cashman and told him that Rasner would like to pitch in Japan, and that Cashman and scout Hiroshi Abei helped facilitate the deal.

"Brian made a big effort to make it happen," Sosnick said.

"He really bent over backwards to make this work for Darrell and his family."

Rasner, a second-round draft pick by Montreal in 2002, has a 9-15 record with a 5.00 ERA in four major league seasons.

After getting off to a 3-0 start for the Yankees last season, Rasner finished with a 5-10 record and a 5.40 ERA.

Jerry Crasnick covers baseball for ESPN Insider.

Jerry Crasnick | email

ESPN.com MLB Sr. Writer
  • ESPN.com senior writer
  • Author of "License to Deal"
  • Former Denver Post national baseball writer

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