Baseball

KITAHIROSHIMA, Hokkaido – Es Con Field Hokkaido is the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters’ new ballpark, but the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles’ Maikel Franco made himself right at home on the first night of the season. Franco had a two-run homer and three hits in his NPB debut to help the […]

Although he only pitched in six innings, surrendering five runs, Yu Darvish was the cornerstone of Japan’s World Baseball Classic championship by instilling calm within a young team that was able to play loose and tough. Manager Hideki Kuriyama’s laid-back approach was indeed also a factor in their success, but […]

Although he only pitched in six innings, surrendering five runs, Yu Darvish was the cornerstone of Japan’s World Baseball Classic championship by instilling calm within a young team that was able to play loose and tough. Manager Hideki Kuriyama’s laid-back approach was indeed also factor in their success, no one […]

The preseason is over and the games will start to count now. Japan was swept up in excitement and euphoria during Samurai Japan’s run to the World Baseball Classic. Now those players are scattered around Japan, with some on Central League clubs. Munetaka Murakami and the Tokyo Yakult Swallows have […]

While Japan’s successful run through the World Baseball Classic dominated the headlines, Japanese’s baseball’s 12 pro teams were quietly hard at work. When they weren’t sneaking peeks at the screen to keep track of their teammates and friends on the Samurai Japan roster, the players were preparing for a 2023 […]

Japanese two-way star Shohei Ohtani will make a one-season Major League Baseball record $65 million this year in salary and endorsements, Forbes magazine reported on Tuesday. Ohtani, set to be the starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels in their MLB season opener Thursday against Oakland, helped spark Japan to […]

World Baseball Classic-winning manager Hideki Kuriyama on Monday criticized organizers of the tournament for a sudden change in the bracket that resulted in the United States being pitted against his team in the final. The two teams were to meet in the semifinals under the original bracket, but the organizers […]

MESA, Arizona – Japanese right-hander Shintaro Fujinami is scheduled to make his first start for the Oakland Athletics at home on April 1 against a Los Angeles Angels lineup likely to feature World Baseball Classic MVP Shohei Ohtani, Oakland manager Mark Kotsay confirmed Saturday. The former Hanshin Tigers hurler will […]

Trevor Bauer is back in professional baseball. After failing to find a home in MLB following allegations of sexual assault against him in 2021, the former Cy Young winner will embark on a career in Japan with the DeNA BayStars. Bauer kicked off his NPB journey during an introductory news […]

Samurai Japan received a rapturous welcome home from around 1,200 fans at Narita Airport in Chiba Prefecture on Thursday after capturing the country’s third World Baseball Classic title. Shohei Ohtani struck out his Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout to seal a thrilling 3-2 win against the United States in […]