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 ...
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 ...
Koji Uehara faces future after long career in baseball
Life after baseball has already begun for Koji Uehara, and the former major league pitcher is relishing the calm after his abrupt midseason retirement earlier this year and subsequent media tour. For the first time in 21 years, he is not training in the offseason, ...
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 ...
Seemingly content without MLB, MVP Hayato Sakamoto on track for big things in Japan
Hayato Sakamoto is the one who stayed. In the midst of an era of increased player movement and Japanese stars departing for the major leagues, Sakamoto is one of biggest names, among the age group making the jump, to seemingly decide the grass is actually ...
Hayato Sakamoto, Tomoya Mori named league MVPs
It was pretty apparent early in the NPB season that it might be a special year for the Yomiuri Giants' Hayato Sakamoto and the Seibu Lions' Tomoya Mori. Eight months later, that was proven true as they stood side-by-side as the top players in their ...
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 ...
Will Yamaguchi's departure from Yomiuri Giants to MLB clear a path for Sugano?
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 ...
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 ...
Hawks display tremendous depth, talent en route to Japan Series three-peat
The only thing left to do is marvel at the absolute playoff strength of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. Simply calling them strong somehow feels inadequate. But the Hawks have rendered the extraordinary so mind-numbingly routine during the last several postseasons, purposeful simplicity is probably the ...
Hawks sweep Giants to win third straight Japan Series
The end of the NPB season in 2019 looks a lot like it did last year... and in 2017, 2015 and 2014 too. They all finished with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks at the top of Japanese baseball. Yurisbel Gracial hit a three-run home run, veteran pitcher ...
Hawks hammer Giants in Game 3, move within win of third consecutive Japan Series crown
The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks should be able to taste it now. They've dominated this Japan Series through three games and now the big payoff is just around the corner. Alfredo Despaigne drove in three runs, Yurisbel Gracial homered and Rick van den Hurk did his ...
