ESPN.com reports that the players rescinded their threat to walk out after representatives of the 12 professional clubs agreed to review an earlier decision to push ahead with the merger of two teams in the six-team Pacific League.
"There will be no strike in the next two days," Atsuya Furuta, chairman of the Japan Baseball Players Association, told a news conference after two days of last-ditch talks.
The players' union had decided to strike every weekend in September, beginning Saturday, unless the plans to merge the Kintetsu Buffaloes and the Orix BlueWave, both based in western Japan, were shelved.
"I want to believe in the possibility that the Buffaloes may be saved," Furuta said, adding that the two sides would continue talking and that management would get back to the players next week on whether there were any such chances.
Management representatives also agreed to scrap financial requirements for purchasing clubs. The requirements have been criticised as making it difficult for potential investors to buy a team.
If a third party wanted to buy a club, it would have to pay 3 billion yen ($1=109.41 yen). It would have to pay 6 billion yen if it wanted to create a new team. The high fees were seen as one factor why Kintetsu sought the merger with Orix rather than seeking a new owner.
