NEWSWORTHY
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 ...
The Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters announced Tuesday they have reached a contract agreement with right-handed free agent pitcher Chihiro Kaneko, who sepnt 13 seasons with the Orix Buffaloes. Kaneko, who received a reported ¥600 million ($5.27 million) salary in the 2018 season with Orix, pitched ...
MLB players, San Francisco coach Hensley Meulens reflect on Shohei Ohtani's 2018 campaign
Around this time four years ago, during the last tour of Japan by major league players, the MLB world at large got its first real glimpse of Shohei Ohtani. After pitching an inning of relief in the opener of that 2014 Nichibei Yakyu series, Ohtani, ...
Rangers pitcher Chris Martin happy to return to Japan with MLB All-Stars
For Texas Rangers pitcher Chris Martin, being back in Japan is a homecoming of sorts. Martin played for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters during his two years in NPB, but there is still some nostalgia in suiting up for the MLB side at Tokyo Dome ...
Fighters reveal general plans for new retractable-roof ballpark
The Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters announced Monday a basic design for their new ballpark to be completed in the spring of 2023 as Japan's second with a retractable roof. The 35,000-seat facility will have a high peaked roof reminiscent of traditional old-style Hokkaido homes, and ...
Hawks power past Fighters, advance to PL Climax Series final stage
The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks powered past the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters 5-2 on Monday, with five solo home runs from their red-hot batting lineup helping them advance to the final stage of the Pacific League Climax Series. A day after the Fighters evened the best-of-three ...
Three straight two-out, eighth-inning doubles by Haruki Nishikawa, Taishi Ota and Kensuke Konda lifted the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters to a 4-2 win in Sunday's Game 2 of the Pacific League Climax Series' first stage against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. The Fighters now are a ...
Hawks jump on Fighters early, coast to victory in playoff opener
Alfredo Despaigne started the NPB postseason with a bang, hitting a first-inning grand slam as the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks cruised to an 8-3 victory over the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters in Game 1 of the Pacific League Climax Series' first stage on Saturday. The Hawks ...
The race to the Japan Series begins Saturday as the Central and Pacific League Climax Series' first stages get underway in Tokyo and Fukuoka. Each league's second-place team will host their third-place league rival in the three-game first stages. Each first-stage winner will advance to ...
Kensuke Tanaka's RBI single broke a 2-2 first-inning tie and the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters held on to beat the Chiba Lotte Marines 5-4 on Thursday. The Fighters, who finished third in the Pacific League, wrapped up their regular season with three straight wins. They ...
