Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno has had a change of heart and announced Monday he is no longer interested in selling the American League club. Moreno was interested in selling the club in August after 20 seasons as owner, with the club going as far as to announce the […]
Mike Trout hopes for WBC battle against Angels teammate Shohei Ohtani
LOS ANGELES – Having watched him pitch to a 15-9 record and a 2.33 ERA in 2022, Mike Trout is excited about the prospect of battling Los Angeles Angels teammate Shohei Ohtani at the World Baseball Classic, the three-time American League MVP said Friday. Trout was one of the first […]
Thousands sign petition to save Tokyo’s ‘sacred’ Jingu Stadium
Thousands of baseball fans have signed a petition to save an iconic Tokyo stadium nearly a century old, where Babe Ruth once played and which inspired best-selling author Haruki Murakami to first pick up a pen. Jingu Stadium, often compared to legendary U.S. baseball venues Wrigley Field and Fenway Park, […]
With this Japanese ace, the ghost stories are true
As the United States prepared to face Japan in the knockout stage at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Nick Martinez issued a warning to his peers. “Don’t swing at the fork,” Martinez, now a star relief pitcher for the San Diego Padres, told them. Martinez was referring to Kodai Senga […]
Three pitchers set to complete Japan’s 30-man roster for WBC
Tokyo Yakult Swallows lefty Keiji Takahashi is among the three pitchers who will complete Japan’s 30-man roster for the World Baseball Classic, a source familiar with the matter said Monday. The Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters’ Hiromi Ito and fellow right-hander Yuki Udagawa of the Orix Buffaloes will join Takahashi, as […]
Slugger Kazuma Okamoto and reliever Yuki Matsui to join Japan’s WBC team
Japan’s World Baseball Classic team is set to add Yomiuri Giants third baseman Kazuma Okamoto and Rakuten Eagles closer Yuki Matsui to its roster, sources familiar with the matter said Sunday. Japan’s manager Hideki Kuriyama on Jan. 6 announced the first 12 men, led by Los Angeles Angels two-way star […]
Alex Ramirez and Randy Bass voted into Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame
Two of the most celebrated foreign-born players in NPB history took their place among the greats on Friday afternoon as Alex Ramirez and Randy Bass were voted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame. The two sluggers were joined in the Class of 2023 by composer Yuji Koseki. Ramirez was […]
Cardinals’ Lars Nootbaar set to play for Japan at WBC in ‘big first step for Japanese baseball’
Although it is not yet official, the St. Louis Cardinals’ Lars Nootbaar is poised to play for Japan in March’s World Baseball Classic, with manager Hideki Kuriyama saying Wednesday he is thrilled at what the outfielder’s inclusion will mean. Nootbaar, 25, whose mother is Japanese, has played 166 games with […]
Tigers pitcher Shintaro Fujinami reaches agreement with Athletics
Right-hander Shintaro Fujinami will join the Oakland Athletics in MLB for the 2023 season after an up-and-down career with the Hanshin Tigers. Fujinami, 28, signed a one-year deal with the A’s, according to a report by ESPN on Wednesday. Fujinami, a three-time All-Star in NPB, was posted by the Tigers […]
Carlos Correa comes to terms with Twins, leaving the Mets behind
On Dec. 21, the New York Mets were declared by many as the winners of the offseason after they agreed to terms with Carlos Correa, one of the top infielders in baseball, on a 12-year, $315 million contract. The Mets, who won 101 games in 2022, were adding an all-around […]