NEWSWORTHY
Fighters' Kotaro Kiyomiya named to Samurai Japan squad for Mexico friendlies
Japan manager Atsunori Inaba named 11 new players Monday to the national team's squad for upcoming international friendlies with Mexico, including Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters teenager Kotaro Kiyomiya. Along with the 19-year-old first baseman, Fighters outfielder Haruki Nishikawa, 26, and Orix Buffaloes outfielder Masataka Yoshida, ...
Shohei Ohtani visits former Fighters teammates at spring camp
Shohei Ohtani took a break from his rehabilitation program on Saturday to visit his former Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters teammates in Arizona. The slugging Los Angeles Angels pitcher and American League rookie of the year is entering his second major league season since the Fighters ...
Chihiro Kaneko draws attention from Yu Darvish, others, because of change-up
Chihiro Kaneko, as a 35-year-old veteran of 13 seasons, probably possesses a fair amount of wisdom he can impart on the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters pitchers younger than him. Even those who have already moved on. Former Fighters ace and current Chicago Cubs pitcher Yu Darvish ...
The Chiba Lotte Marines have acquired former Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters third baseman Brandon Laird, the team announced on Monday. Laird joined the Fighters in 2015 after stints in the majors with the New York Yankees and Houston Astros. The 31-year-old was named MVP in ...
Baseball star Shohei Ohtani encourages ailing boy Shohei, his parents
Los Angeles Angels player Shohei Ohtani on Saturday encouraged an ailing one-year-old boy, who shares the same given name, as well as his parents at a hospital in Japan. Ohtani presented Shohei Kawasaki, who needs a heart transplant due to cardiomyopathy, with a baseball he ...
Fighters' Kensuke Tanaka announces plan to retire after next season
Former major leaguer Kensuke Tanaka said Tuesday he will retire at the end of his 20th and final season with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters next year. "(Next year) is my last year. I'll give it everything I've got until the final ball to be ...
The Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters finalized their deal for one of the biggest stars of Taiwanese baseball on Wednesday, signing a three-year contract with outfielder Wang Po-jung in Taipei. A two-time Chinese Professional Baseball League batting champion for the Lamigo Monkeys, the 25-year-old Wang is ...
Right-hander Nick Martinez has re-signed with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, the Pacific League club announced Tuesday. Martinez, a 28-year-old who made 68 starts for the Texas Rangers before moving to the Fighters, went 10-11 with a 3.51 ERA this year for Nippon Ham. He ...
The Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters and Tokyo Yakult Swallows have agreed to a four-player deal, the two NPB teams announced Tuesday. The Fighters, in need of relief pitchers, sent right-hander Hirotoshi Takanashi and infielder Kengo Ota in exchange for right-hander Ryo Akiyoshi and infielder Ryota ...
Taiwanese slugger Wang Po-jung accepts three-year deal from Fighters
The Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters said Friday they have reached a deal to acquire hard-hitting outfielder Wang Po-jung from the Lamigo Monkeys of the Taiwanese professional league. The 25-year-old Taiwanese, who had a .407 batting average this past season, will receive an estimated ¥400 million ...
Former Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters manager Trey Hillman has joined the Miami Marlins as the team's new first base and infield coach, it was announced on Wednesday. The Marlins also brought in Mel Stottlemyre Jr., formerly the Seattle Mariners pitching coach, and Jeff Livesey as ...
The Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters announced Wednesday they have signed a one-year contract with pitcher Justin Hancock for an estimated ¥70 million (about $620,000). Hancock threw 12.1 innings of relief for the Chicago Cubs this past season, getting 11 strikeouts with a 1.46 ERA. The ...
