Maeda to lead Japan against MLB stars in November

TOKYO (AP) Hiroshima Carp pitcher Kenta Maeda will take the mound for Japan against a team of all-stars from Major League Baseball in a six-game series in November.

Maeda, who is 9-4 this season with a 2.08 ERA, was one of six players listed for the series on the national team website on Friday. The remainder of the squad will be named later.

The MLB all-stars will be visiting Japan for the first time since 2006. With the start of the World Baseball Classic that year, Japan's players' association decided to skip the series and the MLB team has not returned since.

The series will begin on Nov. 12 at Osaka Dome and will be followed by three games at Tokyo Dome before wrapping up with games in Sapporo and Okinawa.