Baseball / MLB Jul 9, 2020
Japanese players getting into swing of things ahead of MLB season
The Mariners' Yusei Kikuchi threw live batting practice on Wednesday in Seattle.
Baseball / MLB May 2, 2020
Japan's MLB stars in limbo with everyone else as pandemic plays out
Japan's major leaguers are playing the waiting game while MLB looks for a way to start its season
Baseball / MLB Jan 16, 2020
Blue Jays newcomer Shun Yamaguchi excited about change of scenery, opportunity to pitch in majors
Right-hander Shun Yamaguchi, the newest addition to the Toronto Blue Jays' pitching staff, said Wednesday that overcoming eastern Canada's cold weather will be his top priority as he competes for a rotation spot. After being introduced by Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins in a ...
Baseball / MLB Dec 28, 2019
Pitcher Shun Yamaguchi has signed a deal with the Toronto Blue Jays, the team said on its official website on Friday. The 32-year-old right-hander was the first-ever player posted to the majors by the Yomiuri Giants when the NPB team made him available for negotiation ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball Dec 3, 2019
Giants complete posting application for pitcher Shun Yamaguchi
The Yomiuri Giants officially broke with tradition on Tuesday when they made pitcher Shun Yamaguchi available to major league teams by completing his posting system application. The 32-year-old is the first player the Giants have posted since the system was introduced after the 1998 season. Major ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball Nov 25, 2019
MLB-bound Giants ace Shun Yamaguchi earns maiden Best Nine Award
Yomiuri Giants ace Shun Yamaguchi earned his first-ever Best Nine Award on Monday in what could be his last season before departing Japan. The right-hander, who led the Central League in wins, strikeouts and winning percentage this season, intends to move to the major leagues ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball | Sac Bunts Nov 19, 2019
Will Yamaguchi's departure from Yomiuri Giants to MLB clear a path for Sugano?
by Jason Coskrey
The biggest question stemming from the Yomiuri Giants' decision to post pitcher Shun Yamaguchi to MLB is not how Yamaguchi might fare in the majors. It's when will Tomoyuki Sugano get there? After years ago solidifying their resistance to the posting system on the back of ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball Nov 18, 2019
Giants pitcher Shun Yamaguchi to pursue MLB dream through posting system
Shun Yamaguchi, who led the Central League in wins, strikeouts and winning percentage this season, intends to move to the major leagues through the posting system, the Yomiuri Giants right-hander said Monday. By receiving the nod of approval from the Tokyo-based CL club, the 32-year-old ...
Baseball Nov 1, 2019
Canada drew first blood in a two-game exhibition series against Japan on Thursday, jumping on starter Shun Yamaguchi for an early lead before holding on for a 6-5 victory. Canadian starter Phillippe Aumont got the win in the series opener at Okinawa Cellular Stadium after ...
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 Oct 19, 2019
Kodai Senga, Yurisbel Gracial lead Hawks past Giants in Japan Series opener
by Jason Coskrey
Kodai Senga gave the Yomiuri Giants chances early on as he worked his way into Game 1 of this year's Japan Series. Once the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks ace finally got going, however, the Giants' hopes faded with each retired batter. Senga outdueled Shun Yamaguchi in a ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball Oct 18, 2019
Blockbuster matchup: Hawks' Kodai Senga vs. Giants' Shun Yamaguchi in Japan Series opener
by Jason Coskrey
Shortly before the end of the Japan Series managers' meeting the skippers of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and Yomiuri Giants were asked to name their starters for Game 1. Hawks manager Kimiyasu Kudo spoke first, grabbing a mic and stating simply with no hesitation, "For ...