Nippon Professional Baseball’s Chiba Lotte Marines and the Czech Republic national team have announced a new joint initiative to promote baseball development and cultural exchange. The program, sponsored by Japanese electronics giant Panasonic, builds on the budding Czech-Japan baseball friendship that began during the 2023 World Baseball Classic when the two teams faced off in Pool B.
Led by starting pitcher Roki Sasaki, Japan was victorious, 10-2. Panasonic’s European core site is located in the Czech Republic. One of the most memorable moments from the game came when Sasaki hit Willie Escala in the leg on a 101 mph fastball. Later that week, Sasaki visited Escala to apologize and gave him snacks provided by Lotte.
プレーしてくれてありがとう、日本
🇯🇵🤝🇨🇿
Thank you so much Samurai Japan for this incredible experience! It was a true honor to help you prepare for the Premier12.✊🏻 Good luck, champions.#baseballczech #asiatrip pic.twitter.com/TMQB8MjYdJ
— Baseball Czech (@baseballczech_) November 10, 2024
Some Czech players and coaches participated in the Team Europe vs. Samurai Japan exhibition series in March 2024, and the Czech team also played a two-game series against Japan in November prior to the Premier12.
Shohei Ohtani wearing the Czech Republic .@BaseballCzech cap #respect 🇨🇿
Also arriving in Miami USA looking good and ready for the semis #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/bXmBDa9TKN
— shobae 大谷翔平 ¹⁷ Ohtani Shohei ¹⁷ 🐶 (@shoheisaveus) March 17, 2023
Japanese fans quickly latched onto the inspiring stories of the Czech players and coaches, many of whom work second jobs outside of baseball. Some have even flown out to Prague in recent years to watch Czech games. Superstar Shohei Ohtani also showed his support by repping the Czech national team cap when arriving at Miami International Airport. Lotte’s current manager, former MLB pitcher Masato Yoshii, was Samurai Japan’s pitching coach in the tournament.
幸運を祈るよ、ジョン
🎌✊🏻#baseballczech @JohnHussey22 pic.twitter.com/Iu1cXWif9s
— Baseball Czech (@baseballczech_) January 27, 2025
As part of the new collaboration, Czech pitching coach John Hussey will attend the Marines’ farm team spring camp in Miyakonojo from February 1 to 11, gaining valuable high-level coaching experience. Originally from Victoria, Australia, Hussey signed with the San Diego Padres in 2004 and played as far as Double-A before returning home to pitch in the Australian Baseball League.
Seeking fresh opportunities, he later moved to the Czech Republic, where he played in the nation’s top-level Extraliga and evolved into a player-coach, ultimately becoming the Czech national team’s pitching coach.
Hussey, 38, remains an active player in the Czech Extraliga with Hrosi Brno, where he plays alongside Japanese veteran journeyman Toru Murata. Last season, Hrosi finished as runners-up in the Czech Series, losing to Draci Brno, a powerhouse team that secured its 25th championship title since the league’s establishment in 1993.
Czech manager Pavel Hajim fully endorses Hussey’s participation in the Lotte Marines bridge program, particularly in light of Hussey’s leadership role in developing and elevating the nation’s baseline baseball talent ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The multifaceted endeavor, backed by the Marines, Panasonic, the Czech Embassy, and third-party organizations such as Czech Invest, is expected to have a lasting impact by concretely linking two vibrant baseball communities across national borders.
The senior national team’s first chance to showcase the fruits of this partnership will come at the 2025 European Baseball Championship, set for September 20–27. Competing in Group A alongside Spain, Germany, and Sweden, the Czechs will look to improve on their fifth-place finish at the 2023 tournament.
The team will then turn to the 2026 World Baseball Classic, where it will once again compete in the Tokyo Pool with Japan, Korea, and Australia.
