The Pacific League playoff race might already be nearing its end.
The NPB season is not yet at the halfway mark — though it is approaching — and has not reached the All-Star break, but there is a clear line of demarcation forming between the haves and have-nots in the Pa League.
The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks are currently in first place, with the second-place Chiba Lotte Marines and third-place Orix Buffaloes each a half-game back and separated by percentage points.