The 28-year-old Morimoto will make 30 million yen less than he did this year in a one-year deal worth an estimated 80 million yen plus performance-related incentives.

Morimoto, who tied the league-high with 43 sacrifice hits, was limited to 107 games this past season due in part to a broken left pinkie that sidelined him for nearly a month.

"Whatever the contract conditions, I was determined to stay with the team," said Morimoto, who faced a pay cut for the second straight year. "I realize that my performance was not good enough."

The Fighters won the PL title for the first time in two years before falling to the Yomiuri Giants four games to two in the Japan Series. Morimoto went 3-for-17 (.176) with one RBI in the series.