Sixto Lezcano Quits Japanese Baseball

Sixto Lezcano, a former major league outfielder who joined the Yokohama Taiyo Whales this year, has quit Japanese professional baseball and will leave for home in a few days, the team announced Sunday.

A club official said the 33-year-old Lezcano told the Whales, “I couldn’t show power as in the past and I do not want to give trouble to the Whales anymore.”

Lezcano, who signed a contract for an estimated $214,000 this year, played 20 games with the Whales after arriving in Tokyo April 13. In 69 at-bats, he batted .217 with 3 home runs and 7 runs batted in.

Lezcano played in the major leagues from 1974 to 1985 with the Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres, Philadelpia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates. He spent last year at home in Puerto Rico taking care of his wife, who was ill.