Baseball / Japanese Baseball Jul 14, 2022
Richard Sunagawa lifts Hawks with two home runs against Buffaloes
The Pacific League-leading Hawks snapped a five-game losing streak.
Baseball / Japanese Baseball Oct 11, 2021
Eight big innings from ace pitcher Kodai Senga and home runs from Alfredo Despaigne and Richard Sunagawa, saw the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks snap their eight-game losing streak with a 3-1 come-from-behind win over the Pacific League-leading Orix Buffaloes on Sunday. On the same day reports ...
Japanese Baseball | Sac Bunts Sep 26, 2021
Aces Nick Martinez and Kodai Senga keeping Hawks' playoff hopes alive
by Jason Coskrey
The formidable duo will be a significant asset for SoftBank should it manage to earn a spot in the Pacific League's Climax Series.
Japanese Baseball Sep 3, 2021
Kodai Senga pitches Hawks past Eagles in front of vaccinated fans
In a first for professional sports in Japan, the Hawks were allowed to admit fans who presented proof of a completed COVID-19 vaccination or a negative PCR test.
Japanese Baseball Aug 19, 2021
Ace Kodai Senga returns in style as Hawks pitch another shutout
"It's been a long time since I was able to flip the right switch," said Senga, who allowed two hits, issued one walk and hit a batter while striking out six.
Summer Olympics / Baseball Aug 3, 2021
Healthy Kodai Senga gives Samurai Japan a major — and unexpected — weapon at Olympics
by Jason Coskrey
While Senga's return to Samurai Japan didn't have the same fanfare that greeted starter Masahiro Tanaka on Monday, it was no less impactful.
Baseball / Japanese Baseball | The week in NPB Apr 12, 2021
Tigers hit ground running as Teruaki Sato continues to excite
by Jason Coskrey
Let’s all stand back for a minute and marvel at Teruaki Sato. The Hanshin Tigers rookie is just 15 games into his career and already among the players generating the most buzz in NPB. Sato produced one of the early highlights of the season on Friday ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball Dec 26, 2020
Hawks ace Kodai Senga can't persuade club to post him, gets raise instead
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks ace Kodai Senga said Saturday his desire to move to the majors is unchanged, but he's no closer to going overseas via the posting system following a reported ¥100 million ($967,000) raise from the Pacific League club. The 27-year-old led the PL ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball Nov 21, 2020
Hawks cut Giants down to size in Game 1 of Japan Series
by Jason Coskrey
Dating back to 2018 against the Hiroshima Carp, the Hawks have now won nine straight Japan Series games as they attempt to win their fourth straight title.
Baseball / Japanese Baseball | NPB NOTEBOOK Dec 29, 2019
Ryosuke Kikuchi joins list of players to hit wall in posting system
by Jason Coskrey
Musing about whether or not certain players will get posted is fairly commonplace in discussions about the top NPB players these days. So much so it's easy to forget being posted is only the first hurdle players under contract have to clear on the way ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball Oct 31, 2019
Hawks' Nobuhiro Matsuda receives seventh straight Golden Glove
by Jason Coskrey
It's awards season in Japanese baseball and just like at the end of the actual season, the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks are front and center. Four players from the recently crowned three-time defending Japan Series champions, the most of any team, were recognized on Thursday when ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball Oct 20, 2019
Ace Kodai Senga stellar again for Hawks in Japan Series opener
by Jason Coskrey
Every team had a shot at Kodai Senga. Even the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, who ultimately ended up with him, passed on the right-hander a few times during the 2010 draft before taking him as a fourth-choice developmental player. Oh how he has developed. Fast-forward almost a decade ...