The 2024 Japan Series kicks off this Saturday, Oct. 26. The Central League champion Yokohama DeNA BayStars will face off against the Pacific League Champion Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.
However, history has already been made before play even starts. Fukuoka’s infielder, Jeter Downs, will be the first Colombian player to compete in the Japan Series. Downs, who is 26, formerly played in major league baseball games for the Boston Red Sox and Washington Nationals.
Jeter Downs will be the first Colombian???????? player to compete in the Japan Series
The two previous Colombians to play in NPB, Jolbert Cabrera and Tayron Guerrero, both made the playoffs during their stints in Japan, but never made it past the PLCS pic.twitter.com/lCqtqNQrw4
— Gaijin Baseball/外国人野球 (@GaijinBaseball) October 23, 2024
Downs signed with the Hawks in July after the New York Yankees released him. The decision to go to the Nippon may have worked out for him thus far. This season in Japan, he is batting .273 in 26 at-bats through seven games. His on-base percentage is also near .400, sitting at .385 while playing for Fukuoka.
During his time with the Hawks, he played shortstop and second base. He has only committed one error. His fielding percentage is healthy, sitting above .900.
It is great to see Downs do something no other Colombian player has done in NPB history as his chase to bring the Hawks their 12th Japan Series championship and their first since 2020.
Game one between Fukuoka and Yokohama will be at Yokohama Stadium on Saturday. The Nippon Professional Baseball League is streamed on DAZN.
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WBN NPB: https://worldbaseball.com/league/japan/
Photo Credit: Jeter Downs #20 of the Boston Red Sox looks on from the dugout during the eighth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Fenway Park on July 30, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
