What a month it was for Hotaka Yamakawa.
On Aug. 11, the burly Seibu Lions slugger filed marriage papers with his girlfriend of seven years. He also experienced one of the best stretches of his career on the field during that month. A run of play that led to the icing on the cake on Thursday, when Yamakawa was named one of the Pacific League's Monthly MVPs for August.
Yamakawa was named the top position player of the month for the first time in his career, which began in 2014. The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks' record-setting closer Dennis Sarfate was named the PL's top pitcher for the month. Yokohama BayStars outfielder Yoshitomo Tsutsugo was the position player recipient in the Central League, with the Yomiuri Giants' Miles Mikolas named top pitcher.