Nippon Professional Baseball

NPB: Hanshin Tigers Clinch First Back-to-Back Central League Pennants

The Hanshin Tigers secured the CL title after the second-place Yomiuri Giants lost to the Yokohama DeNA BayStars on Saturday.

NPB: Hiroshima Carp Cut Star Kaito Kozono Amid Zombie Cigarettes Scandal

Several notable Carp players will be released, including reigning Central League batting champion Kaito Kozono.

Yoshihisa Hirano Retires After 21-Year Career

Veteran reliever Yoshihisa Hirano had his retirement game on Friday night.

NPB: SoftBank Hawks Win Third Straight Pacific League Pennant

The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks clinched first place in the Pacific League with a 7-1 win over the Orix Buffaloes at Kyocera Dome on Thursday.

NPB: Masami Iijima Set to Succeed Sadayuki Sakakibara as Commissioner

Former Mitsui & Co. president Masami Iijima is expected to succeed Sadayuki Sakakibara as NPB commissioner when Sakakibara’s term ends in November.

NPB: Raidel Martínez Makes History with 250th Career Save

Cuban closer Raidel Martinez became the first foreigner in NPB history to reach the 250-save milestone.

NPB: Japan's Hit King Isao Harimoto Dies at 86

NPB: Teruaki Sato Homers Twice, Bolsters Triple Crown Bid

Hanshin Tigers third baseman Teruaki Sato hit two home runs on Thursday night against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, bolstering his lead in all three Central League Triple Crown categories.

Masanori Murakami: MLB’s First Japanese Star Who Paved the Way For Japanese Players

Sixty-two years ago, Masanori Murakami stepped onto a Major League mound and opened a door for generations of Japanese baseball stars.