Mon 2/23/15 2:43 PM

Iwakuma said Saturday he does not want to return to Japan when his contract expires after this season, the Tacoma News Tribune reports. The Mariners likely will re-sign Iwakuma, who has a 3.07 in three seasons in Seattle. His season last year was bookended by injuries, but he still finished second in baseball in BB/9 (1.1) and third in K:BB (7.3). He'll pitch as the No. 2 starter in the rotation again this year.