Will Yamaguchi's departure from Yomiuri Giants to MLB clear a path for Sugano?
The biggest question stemming from the Yomiuri Giants' decision to post pitcher Shun Yamaguchi to MLB is not how Yamaguchi might fare in the majors. It's when will Tomoyuki Sugano get ...
Japan digs deep to win Premier12
Samurai Japan finished its Premier12 campaign in successful fashion on Sunday night with a 5-3 victory over South Korea in the gold medal game at Tokyo Dome. While it was an ...
Giants pitcher Shun Yamaguchi to pursue MLB dream through posting system
Shun Yamaguchi, who led the Central League in wins, strikeouts and winning percentage this season, intends to move to the major leagues through the posting system, the Yomiuri Giants right-hander said Monday. By receiving the nod of approval from the Tokyo-based CL club, the 32-year-old ...
Japan fights back to win Premier12 final
Four years ago, the Samurai Japan bullpen fell apart in a loss against South Korea in the Premier12 semifinals at Tokyo Dome. This time, with the title hanging in the balance, Japan's relievers got to taste both sweet revenge and the championship. Tetsuto Yamada gave Japan ...
Former NPB players Matt Clark, Efren Navarro revel in Mexico's triumph
Mexico made history on Sunday, punching its first-ever Olympic ticket with a 3-2 win over the United States in the bronze-medal game of the Premier12. The win could not have occurred without the late-game heroics of Matt Clark and Efren Navarro, who have previously competed ...
Efren Navarro's broken-bat single sends Mexico to Olympic baseball tournament
If one day Efren Navarro's bat from the bronze medal game of the 2019 Premier12 ends up in a hall of fame somewhere, it won't get there in one piece. Not that it'll matter in the least to Mexican baseball fans. Navarro and his shattered ...
Samurai Japan holds off South Korea in last game of Premier12 Super Round
Samurai Japan did just enough against rival South Korea during what amounted to an entertaining dress rehearsal for the Premier12 final. Now the Japanese will head into the gold-medal game hoping practice makes perfect. Japan scored six runs in the third inning then had to overcome ...
South Korea rallies past Mexico, secures 2020 Olympic berth
South Korea didn't just book a spot in the Premier12 final with its win over Mexico on Friday night. The South Koreans also booked a return trip to Japan for next year's Tokyo Olympics. South Korea responded to a sudden two-run deficit by exploding for seven ...
Eagles pitcher Manabu Mima on verge of joining Marines as free agent: source
Free agent right-hander Manabu Mima, who led the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in innings pitched this year, is poised to join the Chiba Lotte Marines, a source said on Friday. Mima went 8-5 this season for the Eagles. He threw 143⅔ innings with an 8-5 ...
Buffaloes mainstay Brandon Dickson playing pivotal role for U.S. bullpen at Premier12
Playing in Japan is probably a unique experience for many of the players on the U.S. team at the Premier12. The same can't be said for American reliever Brandon Dickson. The 35-year-old Montgomery, Alabama, native might be wearing the red, white, and blue, like the rest ...
The Yokohama BayStars have posted Yoshitomo Tsutsugo, Japan's 2017 World Baseball Classic cleanup hitter, to the majors, the team announced on Friday. After all 30 major league teams have been notified of the posting, Tsutsugo will have 30 days to negotiate a contract with any ...
