Baseball / MLB Dec 26, 2020
Fighters pitcher Kohei Arihara reportedly reaches deal with Rangers
The 28-year-old right-hander had been seeking a move to the majors via the posting system after six seasons with the Fighters in the Pacific League.
Baseball / Japanese Baseball Dec 3, 2020
Fighters make Haruki Nishikawa available to MLB clubs through posting system
The Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters said Thursday that center fielder Haruki Nishikawa has been made available for major league clubs through the posting system. Once MLB has informed its 30 teams of Nishikawa's availability, they will have 30 days to reach an agreement with him. ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball | NPB Preview Jun 15, 2020
Six players to watch in the Pacific League in 2020
by Jason Coskrey
From Hawks outfielder Yuki Yanagita to aspiring Rakuten starter Yuki Matsui, there's plenty of stellar talent to look forward to from the Pa League.
Baseball / Japanese Baseball | Sac Bunts Dec 9, 2019
NPB stars no longer shy about expressing MLB aspirations
by Jason Coskrey
Kohei Arihara wants to pitch in the major leagues in the near future. Haruki Nishikawa wants to make the move as well. Hayato Sakamoto doesn't want to, but he had to address it all the same. Welcome to Japanese baseball's new normal — where the ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball Oct 21, 2019
No Sawamura winner named for 2019 season
by Jason Coskrey
The Sawamura Award is an honor given to the top pitcher in Japanese baseball each season. Well, except when it isn't. For the first time since 2000, and the fifth time since the award was established in 1947, no pitcher was deemed worthy of the honor ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball | Sac Bunts Sep 9, 2019
Race for Sawamura Award going down to wire
by Jason Coskrey
With the NPB season nearly over — no team has more than 16 games left — it's almost time for the group of retired pitchers who vote on the Sawamura Award to sit down and have a chat. When they finish lamenting that none of ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball Aug 10, 2019
Kodai Senga battled through seven innings for the win Saturday as the Pacific League-leading Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks came from behind for an 8-4 victory over the error-prone Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters. The Hawks ace improved to 11-4 after striking out 10, while allowing four runs ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball May 14, 2019
Fighters hurler Kohei Arihara improves to 5-1 with banner performance against Eagles
Kohei Arihara threw four-hit ball over eight innings behind a strong defense on Tuesday as the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters opened a three-game series against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles with a 13-1 win. The Fighters starter fanned seven at Rakuten Seimei Park Miyagi while ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball Jul 31, 2018
Fighters pound out 11 hits, take 10-0 lead in first inning in rout of Marines
Pitcher Kohei Arihara threw eight shutout innings and the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters backed him with a 10-run first inning in Tuesday afternoon's 14-1 win over the Chiba Lotte Marines. Nippon Ham had 11 hits in the first inning alone against Marines starter Ayumu Ishikawa ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball Jul 16, 2018
Oswaldo Arcia belted a three-run homer and Kohei Arihara went the distance as the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters defeated the Orix Buffaloes 4-1 on Monday. With both leagues returning to action after this year's All-Star Series, Arcia took Orix starter Yuki Nishi (5-8) deep in ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball Jul 9, 2018
Kohei Arihara, Haruki Nishikawa lead way as Fighters rout Hawks
Kohei Arihara was impressive over seven innings and Haruki Nishikawa drove in four runs to lead the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters to a 10-1 victory over the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks at Tokyo Dome on Monday. Arihara (5-2) allowed five hits and hit a batter, while ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball Apr 14, 2018
Fighters' Kohei Arihara fans nine batters en route to first victory of season
Kohei Arihara worked eight innings Saturday to pick up his first win of the season on return from a right-shoulder injury as the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters defeated the Orix Buffaloes 2-1. In front of 17,443 at a rain-soaked Hotto Motto Field Kobe, Arihara allowed ...