Tag - fukuoka-softbank-hawks

 
 

FUKUOKA SOFTBANK HAWKS

Driveline Pacific Rim director Frank Minamino (second from right) poses with Lions pitcher Kaito Yoza (left) Hawks pitcher Shuta Ishikawa (second from left) and the Lions' Kona Takahashi.
BASEBALL
Feb 2, 2024
NPB pitchers embracing Driveline Baseball method
NPB players are working with Driveline Baseball in greater numbers.
Hawks pitcher Carter Stewart Jr., the eighth overall pick in the MLB draft in 2018, is preparing for his sixth season in Japan.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Jan 26, 2024
Hawks pitcher Carter Stewart Jr. reflects on unique journey in Japan
Carter Stewart Jr. appears poised for a breakthrough ahead of his sixth NPB season.
Hotaka Yamakawa, the 2018 Pacific League MVP, was limited to 17 games this year after sexual assault allegations emerged.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Dec 14, 2023
Hawks agree to deal with suspended slugger Yamakawa
Yamakawa was suspended for much of the 2023 season by the Seibu Lions after being accused of sexual assault.
Sadaharu Oh, chairman of the SoftBank Hawks, has expressed frustration over his team's third-place finish in the Pacific League
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Nov 28, 2023
Oh vows return to top of Japanese baseball for Hawks
For the third consecutive year, the once-dominant Hawks did not win the league title or advance to the Japan Series.
Softbank Hawks new manager Hiroki Kokubo (left) shakes hands with club chairman Sadaharu Oh in Fukuoka on Monday.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 23, 2023
New skipper Kokubo aims to take Hawks back to summit
A former star slugger for the Fukuoka-based Hawks, 52-year-old Hiroki Kokubo has been promoted from managing their farm team.
Hiroki Kokubo has managed the Hawks' farm team since 2022.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 22, 2023
Hiroki Kokubo promoted from farm team post to manage Hawks
SoftBank finished the regular season third this year and lost the best-of-three PL Climax Series first round against the second-place Marines.
Lotte celebrates after its come-from-behind win over the Hawks to win the first stage of the Climax Series in Chiba on Monday.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 17, 2023
Marines advance to PLCS final stage with walk-off win
The Marines will face the first-place Orix Buffaloes in the best-of-seven final stage beginning Wednesday at Kyocera Dome Osaka.
Hawks starter Kohei Arihara pitches against the Marines in Game 2 during the first stage of the Pacific League Climax Series at Zozo Marine Stadium in Chiba on Sunday.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 15, 2023
Hawks bounce back to even series against Marines
Kohei Arihara threw six innings of one-run ball and the Hawks backed him up with a few timely hits to extend their season.
The Marines' Roki Sasaki pitches against the Hawks in Game 1 of the PLCS First Stage at Zozo Marine Stadium in Chiba on Saturday.
BASEBALL
Oct 14, 2023
Marines too much for Hawks in Game 1 of Climax Series
The Marines can advance to the final stage against the PL champion Orix Buffaloes with a victory.
The BayStars' Shugo Maki addresses the crowd after the team's final home game of the regular season.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / Sac Bunts
Oct 13, 2023
Third-place squads face long road to Japan Series
Only two teams have reached the Japan Series after finishing the regular season in third place.
Orix pitcher Ryuhei Sotani (center) celebrates his first professional win, against the Hawks, at Kyocera Dome Osaka on Monday.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 10, 2023
Buffaloes rookie Ryuhei Sotani earns first pro win against Hawks
The 22-year-old outdueled former Texas Rangers starter Kohei Arihara at Kyocera Dome Osaka in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Hawks pitcher Tsuyoshi Wada (right) celebrates after picking up the win against the Eagles in Fukuoka on Tuesday.
BASEBALL
Oct 4, 2023
Veteran Tsuyoshi Wada leads Hawks past Eagles to brink of playoffs
The loss leaves the Eagles a half-game back from the third and final playoff berth.
Hawks starter Tomohisa Ozeki pitches against the Eagles at Fukuoka's PayPay Dome on Monday.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 3, 2023
Tomohisa Ozeki tosses five-plus shutout innings as Hawks blank Eagles
SoftBank and Rakuten are both fighting for spots in the Pacific League's Climax Series.
SoftBank's Yuki Nakamura ties the game with a ninth-inning home run against the Fighters in Fukuoka on Saturday.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 1, 2023
Yuki Yanagita and Akira Nakamura homers lift Hawks past Fighters
In the Central League, the Hiroshima Carp remained one game ahead of the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in the battle for their league's second seed.
Buffaloes pitcher Sachiya Yamasaki (left), who earned his 10th win of the season, and catcher Kenya Wakatsuki pose after their game against the Hawks in Osaka on Wednesday.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Sep 28, 2023
Sachiya Yamasaki pitches Buffaloes to victory over Hawks
Sachiya Yamasaki struck out five without issuing a walk for the Buffaloes, who recently clinched their third straight PL pennant.
The Hawks celebrate their win over the Marines at Chiba's Zozo Marine Stadium on Monday.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Sep 26, 2023
Veteran Tsuyoshi Wada pitches Hawks to big win over Marines
The one-sided result at Zozo Marine Stadium leaves Lotte a game behind second-place SoftBank.
The Eagles' Hiroaki Shimauchi has helped key the team's second-half resurgence.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / NPB NOTEBOOK
Sep 25, 2023
Pacific League playoff race set for frantic finish
Three Pacific League teams are fighting for two playoff spots as the season nears its conclusion.
Kenta Imamiya (third from left) lifted the Hawks to a win over the Buffaloes with walk-off double in the ninth.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Sep 1, 2023
Hawks' Kenta Imamiya decides pitchers' duel with walk-off double
Hawks veteran Tsuyoshi Wada dueled fellow lefty Hiroya Miyagi over seven scoreless innings.
Lions players celebrate after their win over the Hawks in Fukuoka on Sunday.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Aug 21, 2023
Lions use 17-hit attack to beat Hawks
The Lions connected on eight straight hits during a five-run sixth inning.
Shuta Ishikawa of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks celebrates his no-hitter on Friday at PayPay Dome in Fukuoka.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Aug 18, 2023
SoftBank Hawks' Shuta Ishikawa throws no-hitter
Ishikawa (4-5) struck out eight, walked three and hit a batter in Japanese pro baseball's 99th regular-season no-hit shutout.

Longform

A statue of "Dragon Ball" character Goku stands outside the offices of Bandai Namco in Tokyo. The figure is now as recognizable as such characters as Mickey Mouse and Spider-Man.
Akira Toriyama's gift to the world