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.
Mannami Crushes 10th Inning Grand Slam for Fighters
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters outfielder Chusei Mannami hit a clutch go-ahead grand slam in the top of the 10th inning in Tuesday’s 5-1 win over the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. His opposite-field shot was the game-winning blast after Rakuten tied the score at one in the bottom of the ninth.
Mannami, 24, celebrated and acknowledged the Fighters bullpen as he rounded the bases and was greeted with many high fives from his teammates when he touched home plate. Mannami’s grand slam was his 15th home run of the year. With the victory, the Fighters maintained a three-game lead over the Eagles for third place in the Pacific League.
Mannami was born to a Japanese mother; his father is from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He made his NPB debut in 2019 at the young age of 19.
Yomiuri Giants to Play Los Angeles Dodgers in Japan?
There are rumors on X about a possible exhibition game between the Yomiuri Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers when the MLB organization visits Japan to face the Chicago Cubs in March 2025.
On Monday, a Japanese baseball-dedicated X account with the name hochi_tkyhensei reported that the Giants and Dodgers could face off at the Tokyo Dome. MLB has not shown any indication that a game is in place, but it would be thrilling for the continued growth of international baseball. If there is a game between the two clubs, expect a large crowd because of former NPB stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
The 2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series featured six games between MLB-selected players and the Japanese national team, Samurai Japan. Before the series, the MLB All-Stars played an exhibition game against the Yomiuri Giants, winning 9-6 at the Tokyo Dome. Samurai Japan won the six-game series against the MLB All-Stars five games to one.
Orix Buffaloes Break 10-Game Losing Streak
For the first time since 2012, the Orix Buffaloes suffered a 10-game losing streak from July 17 to August 2. Technically, the losing streak did not end when their July 30 game against the Fighters ended in a 3-3 tie.
The Buffaloes finally broke free from their struggles on Saturday with a 5-1 win against the Chiba Lotte Marines. Starting pitcher Daiki Tajima threw eight marvelous innings, allowing one earned run on six hits with four strikeouts.
While their losing streak is not comparable to the disastrous 21-game losing streak MLB’s Chicago White Sox is experiencing, the Buffaloes are not accustomed to playing poorly. Just last year, Orix finished 86-53-4 and won the Pacific League pennant. They stand ten games below .500 at 42-52–3 with 46 games remaining in the regular season.
This Day in Japanese Baseball History
On August 6, 1992, Japan defeated the United States 8-3 during the Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, to win the Bronze medal.
Baseball was first considered a medal sport in the Summer Olympics in 1992. Eight nations competed: Japan, the United States, Cuba, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), Italy, Puerto Rico, Spain, and the Dominican Republic.
Japan finished the first seven rounds of the tournament 5-2, with a +45 run differential. They defeated Puerto Rico, Spain, the Dominican Republic, Italy, and the United States.
NPB Standings as of Tuesday, August 6
Central League
Pacific League
You can stream all NPB games on DAZN.
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WBN NPB: https://worldbaseball.com/league/japan/
Photo Credit: Chusei Mannami of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters hits a double in the 5th inning against Yakult Swallows at Jingu Stadium on June 9, 2024 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Sports Nippon/Getty Images)
