Hisashi Iwakuma's cash demands quash A's interest
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma's move to Major League Baseball is on ice after talks with the Oakland Athletics broke down, local media said on Monday.
The highly rated 29-year-old will stay with Japan's Rakuten Eagles because the Athletics would not increase their initial offer, the Nikkan Sports daily reported.
Iwakuma had reportedly asked for a seven-year package worth around $125 million, forcing the A's to pull out of negotiations and leaving him with no option but to remain in Japan.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Under the Japanese posting system, he can not move to another MLB club until next November as Oakland won the right to negotiate exclusively with the right-hander.
Iwakuma, the former Japanese Pacific League MVP, went 10-9 with a 2.82 ERA for the struggling Eagles this year with four complete games and a shutout.
(Reporting by Alastair Himmer. Editing by Greg Stutchbury)