Balentien finished 2014 with 31 home runs, failing to lead his league in home runs for the first time in his four-year NPB career. Despite missing 32 games with injuries he still slashed .301/.419/.587.

Balentien has a long-term contract with the Yakult Swallows so it's unlikely we'll see him back in MLB during the prime of his career.

Wladimir Balentien pleaded not guilty to domestic violence charges in Florida on Friday.

Balentien set Japan's single-season home run record last year with 60. He previously played for the Cincinnati Reds and Seattle Mariners. The slugger was charged with false imprisonment and battery after a confrontation with his estranged wife in Miami. He is under contract with the Yakult Swallows of Japan's Central League through 2015.

Wladimir Balentien was arrested in the Miami area this weekend on charges of domestic violence.

According to the Associated Press, Balentien is "facing a felony false imprisonment charge and a misdemeanor battery charge stemming from a weekend confrontation at his wife's Miami-area house." The two are going through a divorce and authorities claim that Balentien broke into the home uninvited. Balentien played for the Yakult Swallows of Japan's Central League in 2013 and broke Nippon Professional Baseball's single-season home run record. He is under contract with Yakult through 2015.

Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that "some within" the Giants organization have discussed the possibility of acquiring Wladimir Balentien from the Yakult Swallows of Japan's Central League.

Balentien, a former top prospect with the Mariners, has connected for a record-breaking 56 home runs this season in Japan. It's worth noting that the conversations within the organization have been theoretical and have not involved general manager Brian Sabean. "He wants to come back," said Giants hitting coach Hensley Meulens. "That's what he told me two or three weeks ago. His dream is to come back and play in the major leagues." One complication for a return to the majors is that Balentien is under contract with the Swallows for two more seasons.

Wladimir Balentien tied the single-season Japanese single-season home run record by corking No. 55 on Wednesday.

He equaled the feat previously accomplished by three players: Sadaharu Oh in 1964, Tuffy Rhodes in 2001 and Alex Cabrera in 2002. Balentien, who played for the Reds and Mariners, hit 31 homers in each of the past two seasons for the Yakult Swallows. He has 21 games left to break one of Japan's most fabled records.

Wladimir Balentien is rapidly approaching the Japanese single-season home run record, having swatted 54 long balls including his first-inning blast on Tuesday.

The single-season record stands at 55 home runs, achieved by legendary slugger Sadaharu Oh and matched by Karl "Tuffy" Rhodes and Alex Cabrera. Balentien missed the first 12 games of the season due to injury, and has amassed his 54 homers in just 108 games. With 23 games left on the schedule, the 29-year-old Balentien will top that list before the end of the season.

Tim Dierkes of MLBTradeRumors.com reports that Wladimir Balentien has re-signed with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of Japan's Central League on a three-year, $7.5 million deal.

It's a nice little payday for Balentien, who has played the previous two seasons in Japan after washing out of MLB. Balentien is still just 28 years old.

Wladimir Balentien has signed with a team in Japan.

Balentien never caught on state-side, registering a .221/.281/.374 career batting line and 149 strikeouts over 511 major league at-bats. If he plays well enough in Japan, he may be able to find a spot on a big league roster for 2012. It's not yet known which Japanese club he signed with.

Reds sent OF Wladimir Balentien outright to Triple-A Louisville.

Balentien, 25, hit .234/.305/.385 with seven homers and 24 RBI in 295 plate appearances between the Mariners and Reds last season. With an intriguing power profile in the minors, it's mildly surprising he didn't garner more interest.

Red designated OF Wladimir Balentien for assignment.

The 25-year-old outfielder went 16-for-49 (.327) this spring, but the Reds have a rather full outfield and Balentien was out of minor league options. Other clubs are likely to show interest.