JapanBall

10/30/2025

Congratulations to the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks for winning the 2025 Japan Series! 🎊

They defeated the Hanshin Tigers, 4-1, winning four consecutive games after losing Game 1.

It marks their first title since 2020 and their 12th in franchise history.

10/28/2025

Hideo Nomo, the second Japanese player in MLB history after Masanori Murakami, threw out tonight’s first pitch in Game 3 of the World Series!

The Tornado’s star status is often credited with opening the door for Japanese players in MLB.

10/27/2025

2025 Japan Series All Square at 1-1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4933744h-co&pp=ygUS5qOu5LiL44K144Oo44OK44Op Just like the World Series, the Japan Series is all even as the Hanshin Tigers and Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks split the first two games at Mizuho PayPay Dome over the weekend. The Tigers edged out a tense opener, 2-1, before the...

10/26/2025

JapanBall’s Yuri Karasawa was interviewed by Al Jazeera English last night to talk about Game 1 and Shohei Ohtani’s impact on World Series viewership in Japan.

10/23/2025

Rintaro Sasaki was surprisingly selected by the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in the 2025 NPB Draft tonight, adding another twist to his already fascinating story.

Sasaki famously bypassed the 2023 NPB Draft to play at Stanford University, a move that fast-tracked the Hanamaki Higashi product’s potential path to MLB. The 6-foot, 270-pound slugger has completed one season with the Cardinal and remains eligible for the 2026 MLB Draft. Should he also be selected by an MLB club, the 20-year-old will face a pivotal decision to return to Japan or continue his pursuit of a big-league career in the U.S.

The pick carries significant risk and reward for the Hawks. If Sasaki declines to sign, the team forfeits its first-round selection with no compensation. But if an agreement is reached, SoftBank will land one of the most highly regarded hitting prospects in recent Japanese history, drawing comparisons to Prince Fielder.

10/23/2025

"Kano" is an exceptional Taiwanese period film (1931) produced in 2014 about a rag-tag high school baseball team coached by an old-school hardliner with a tortured past.

You can stream it for free on Tubi with the link below!

The soon-to-be-legendary Kagi Agricultural and Forestry School baseball team travels to Japan in 1931 to compete in a national tournament.

10/22/2025

Happy 52nd birthday to the one and only, Ichiro! It’s also his 1st birthday since being inducted to both the Japanese and National Baseball Hall of Fames this year 🎊

Ichiro was the first Japanese position player to be signed by a MLB team and went on to become the world leader in hits with 4,367. We’ve visited his home and museum on our tours many times — unsurprisingly, his trophy cabinet is ridiculously big!

10/22/2025

Film Depicts Daughters’ Search To Learn More About Dad – Japan Baseball Legend Victor Starffin ⚾️

To aficionados of Japanese baseball, the externals of Victor Starffin’s life and career – immigrant from Russia, first NPB pitcher to win 300 games, first foreigner to be elected to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame – are well known. But there is more that many – even his daughters – did not know.

At least not until the last few years and the making of the documentary, “Tokyo Giant: The Legend of Victor Starffin”.

Article link: https://japanball.com/book-film-reviews/film-depicts-daughters-search-to-learn-more-about-dad-japan-baseball-legend-victor-starffin/

Streaming link: https://japanball.com/shop/tokyo-giant-the-legend-of-victor-starffin/

In September 1955, Victor Starffin became the first pitcher in Japanese history to win 300 games. To aficionados of Japanese baseball, the externals of Victor Starffin’s life and career – immigrant from Russia, first pitcher to win 300 games, first foreigner to be elected to the Japanese Baseba...

10/22/2025

With the hiring of Kurt Suzuki as new Angels skipper, both Los Angeles teams now have managers of Japanese descent! 🎌

Suzuki is a fourth generation Japanese, born in Hawaii. Dave Roberts was born in Okinawa and has a Japanese mother.

10/21/2025

Hawks, Tigers Set for Japan Series Showdown

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7bisgua3mA After a hard-fought weekend of Nippon Professional Baseball postseason action, the championship rounds in both the Pacific and Central Leagues are set. The higher seeds prevailed in each league, with the Hokkaido Nipponham Fighters and Yokohama DeNA BaySta...

10/19/2025

New video profile on our YouTube channel covering Munetaka Murakami!

How good is he and what should we expect from him as the Tokyo Yakult Swallows prepare to post the slugger to MLB?

Yuri Karasawa (https://x.com/yakyucosmo) breaks down Tokyo Yakult Swallows slugger Munetaka Murakami ahead of his MLB posting this winter.Follow on Xhttps://...

10/17/2025

New podcast episode on our YouTube channel on the best relief pitchers in Nippon Professional Baseball this season!

Yuri Karasawa and Brandon Tew discuss the top relief pitchers in Nippon Professional Baseball.JapanBall: https://x.com/japanballYuri: https://x.com/yakyucosm...