As the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) season progresses, here is a look at the top news and notes from the past week in Japan’s highest level of professional baseball.
Cuban 1B Yuli Gurriel Rejects NPB Offer
According to a report by Cuban journalist Francys Romero on X, 40-year-old first baseman Yuli Gurriel turned down an offer from an unnamed NPB team. The former two-time World Series champion with the Houston Astros plays with Triple-A Gwinnett in the Atlanta Braves organization.
Gurriel played one season in NPB with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in 2014, hitting .305 with 11 home runs and 30 RBI. He began his professional baseball career in 2001 at 17 with the Gallos de Sancti Spiritus in Serie Nacional de Beisbol in Cuba. Gurriel made his MLB debut with the Astros in 2016 at 32 years old.
Gurriel’s rejection of the NPB offer may indicate he still hopes to receive playing time at first base with the Atlanta Braves at the MLB level. Atlanta’s acquisition of designated hitter Jorge Soler from the San Francisco Giants on Monday likely lowers the chances that Gurriel’s services are necessary. Gurriel has a .837 OPS with nine home runs and 37 RBI in 60 games with Triple-A Gwinnett.
Former Top Prospect Joins SoftBank Hawks
On Tuesday, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reported that Infielder Jeter Downs signed a contract to play for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in the Pacific League. The New York Yankees released Downs from his minor league contract so that he could sign his new agreement. The 26-year-old played 69 games for Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre, hitting ten home runs with a .858 OPS.
Downs never lived up to his top prospect status with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox, but he was one of the critical components in the infamous Red Sox-Dodgers swap that saw superstar Mookie Betts traded to Los Angeles.
Downs can play third, second, and shortstop, making him a valuable plug-and-play utility player with speed for the Hawks moving forward.
Superstar Roki Sasaki Returning from Injury
On Tuesday, Chiba Lotte Marines manager Masato Yoshii told reporters that starting pitcher Roki Sasaki will return from injury on August 1 to pitch against the Saitama Seibu Lions. Sasaki has been out of the starting rotation with arm discomfort since the beginning of June.
Sasaki is one of the best young pitchers in NPB. Before his injury, he posted a 1.96 ERA with 70 strikeouts in 59.2 innings this season. He has yet to appear for the Marines farm team in preparation for his return to the mound and likely will not. Yoshii told reporters Sasaki will throw a maximum of 70 to 80 pitches in his start on Thursday.
The Marines are in second place in the Pacific League, 11 games behind the first-place SoftBank Hawks. Sasaki’s return could help them close the gap on the Hawks, but there may not be enough season left to claim first place.
This Day in Japanese Baseball History
On July 30, 2011, Japanese starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda told the Los Angeles Dodgers he would not waive his no-trade clause. Kuroda clarified that he did not want to leave Los Angeles for another team.
Kuroda was a five-time NPB All-Star with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp from 1997-2007, and the organization has retired his No. 15 jersey. In 2005, he led the Central League with 15 wins and represented Japan in the 2006 World Baseball Classic.
Kuroda pitched for seven seasons in MLB with the Dodgers (2008-11) and the New York Yankees (2012-14).
NPB Standings as of Tuesday, July 30
Central League
Pacific League
You can stream all NPB games on DAZN.
Photo Credit: Jeter Downs #53 of the New York Yankees throws to first base during a minor league spring training game against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Himes Complex on March 19, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Diamond Images via Getty Images)
