Nippon Professional Baseball’s Central League unanimously voted to adopt the Designated Hitter rule starting in 2027. The Pacific League began using the DH in 1975, just two years after it was introduced by the American League. After the National League adopted it in 2022, polls indicated that more and more Japanese players and fans supported making it universal in NPB. However, it was only until this year, when it was decided that the DH will be used at the High School level starting next spring, that the Central League moved to adopt it as well.
Alongside the change, the “Ohtani Rule” will also take effect, enabling two-way players to remain in the lineup as the DH even after they are removed from the mound. NPB additionally announced plans to expand its replay review system by introducing a more centralized replay center, operated by a third party outside the stadium umpire crew, similar to MLB. Other potential changes (such as the pitch clock, ghost runners, and pickoff limits) are still under discussion for the future.
Now, let’s recap the recent action across NPB…
