Japanese baseball: A 150-year journey of transformation
Over the years, Japan's changing political goals, and economic and social circumstances, have all left their imprint on the game that became known as yakyū, or "field ball."
Rookie Masaru Fujii paves way for Eagles comeback against Hawks
After a single, an error and back-to-back fourth-inning walks put SoftBank ahead 1-0 at PayPay Dome, Fujii slammed the door before Haruki Nishioka sparked a sixth-inning Eagles rally.
Shota Takeda outpitches Masahiro Tanaka as Hawks beat Eagles
Takeda (1-0) allowed just three hits and two walks against the Eagles, who could only manage to scratch out a fourth-inning tying run against him.
Rookie pitcher Iori Yamasaki leads Giants to win over Tigers
Rookie Iori Yamasaki pitched eight innings and singled in a run as the Yomiuri Giants beat the Hanshin Tigers 7-0 in the Central League to snap a four-game losing streak on Thursday. The win at Tokyo Dome was Yomiuri's first since most of its roster ...
A month after leaving his July 1 start when he broke a blister on his right middle finger, Sasaki was unable to locate his pitches.
Swallows slugger Munetaka Murakami conjures historic home run streak
Shortly after becoming just the 14th player to hit four consecutive home runs in NPB on Tuesday, the reigning Central League MVP broke new ground with a fifth straight at Jingu Stadum.
Swallows slugger Munetaka Murakami hits three homers in win over Tigers
Munetaka Murakami's home run hat-trick rescued the Central League-leading Tokyo Yakult Swallows in a 4-2, 11-inning win over the Hanshin Tigers on Sunday. The come-from-behind win at Hanshin's historic Koshien Stadium outside Osaka prevented the Swallows from suffering a three-game sweep. Murakami hit his league-leading 35th ...
The 26-year-old delivered his career-first shutout in Seibu's second straight win at Fukuoka's PayPay Dome.
Yuki Yanagita lifts Pacific League with home run in All-Star series finale
Yuki Yanagita hit a tiebreaking home run that lifted the Pacific League to a 2-1 win over the Central League in the final game of this year's All-Star series. Yanagita, of the PL-leading Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, blasted a sixth-inning home run off Hanshin Tigers closer ...
Kotaro Kiyomiya walk-off homer lifts PL in NPB All-Star Game 1
The Fighters infielder connected on Carp ace Masato Morishita's 1-2 fastball with two outs in the ninth inning as the PL edged a tight game before a crowd of 35,534 at PayPay Dome.
Specter of COVID-19 will hang over remainder of NPB season
Despite NPB’s efforts, COVID-19 is wreaking havoc — and the impact will resonate for the rest of the season.
Gunkel (5-5), who got some big plays from his fielders, struck out four batters without issuing a walk.
