Samurai Japan opened its exhibition schedule ahead of the 2026 World Baseball Classic with a two-game set against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks on Sunday and Monday at Sun Marine Stadium Miyazaki.
Hirokazu Ibata’s squad cruised to a 13-3 victory in the opener, but the defending Japan Series champions bounced back to take the second game, 4-0.
With many of Japan’s MLB-based players not yet available, the roster was supplemented by several non-roster “support members” to help fill out the team.
In Game 1, Orix Buffaloes left-hander Ryuhei Sotani got the start, allowing two runs over two innings, including a solo shot by Hawks prospect Yoshiyasu Sasagawa. He was followed by reigning Sawamura Award winner Hiromi Itoh of the Hokkaido Nipponham Fighters and Hiroya Miyagi, his teammate on the Buffaloes. They each tossed two scoreless innings in relief.
Offensively, the Hanshin Tigers trio of Teruaki Sato, Shota Morishita, and Seishiro Sakamoto stole the show. They combined for six hits and 11 RBIs. Sato went a perfect 3-for-3 with two doubles, Morishita finished 2-for-4 with a double and a home run, and Sakamoto, who is expected to serve as one of Japan’s primary catchers, also went deep. Kensuke Kondoh (Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks) and Sosuke Genda (Saitama Seibu Lions) added two hits apiece as
Japan built a commanding lead before the game was called due to rain in the seventh inning with the Samurai ahead 13-3.
In Game 2, Chihiro Sumida (Saitama Seibu Lions), Hiroto Takahashi (Chunichi Dragons), and Koki Kitayama (Hokkaido Nipponham Fighters) each threw two innings. Sumida recorded two strikeouts across two scoreless frames, while Takahashi struck out two in two hitless innings. Kitayama fanned three but allowed one run during his outing. Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks right-hander Yuki Matsumoto also came in for a scoreless inning of work.
SoftBank took the lead in the sixth inning on an RBI groundout by Keita Yamamoto, then extended it to 4-0 in the eighth when Yuto Akihiro launched a three-run home run off support member Ryunosuke Sato. A sixth-inning single by non-roster player Raito Nakayama and a ninth-inning double by Shota Morishita accounted for the only two hits Japan managed in the game as they were shut out.
Samurai Japan will travel to Nagoya next for a two-game exhibition series against the Chunichi Dragons on February 27 and 28 before heading to Osaka for their final tune-ups against the Orix Buffaloes and Hanshin Tigers on March 2 and 3.
With Yusei Kikuchi and Tomoyuki Sugano already in camp and others (Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Munetaka Murakami, Kazuma Okamoto, Seiya Suzuki) following soon, Japan’s MLB contingent is expected to begin appearing in exhibition games as early as this week. However, San Diego Padres lefty Yuki Matsui sustained a left groin injury this week, making his WBC status questionable.
The team will then open Pool C play at the Tokyo Dome in the World Baseball Classic, facing Chinese Taipei, Australia, Korea, and Czechia from March 6-10. Should they advance, they will travel to Miami for the quarterfinal round.
Photo: Hanshin Tigers’ Shota Morishita reacts after scoring against the Chicago Cubs during the fourth inning of a spring training baseball game in Tokyo, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
