2025 Pacific League Team Expectations

SoftBank Hawks
(Last Year: Lost Japan Series)

Led by a stacked offense and elite defense, the Hawks had one of the best records in NPB history last year at 91-49-3 but fell apart when it mattered most, ultimately choking a 2-0 lead against the DeNA BayStars. For a team with as many resources and financial flexibility as SoftBank, anything short of a championship will be regarded as a failure.

Expectation: Win Japan Series

Nippon-Ham Fighters
(Last Year: Lost Championship Series)

The Fighters made a big leap last year, climbing out of the cellar with a 75-60-8 record and a second-place finish to make the playoffs for the first time since 2018. The team has a deep rotation, led by Hiromi Itoh, and an exciting young core of position players, including Kotaro Kiyomiya and Chusei Mannami. They’re more than capable of a deep playoff run if everything comes together.

Expectation: Pennant Contender

Lotte Marines
(Last Year: Lost Wild Card Series)

Though the loss of generational phenom Roki Sasaki takes away from some of Lotte’s star power, the Marines still feature a balanced mix of solid pitchers (e.g. Atsuki Taneichi, Kazuya Ojima) and hitters (e.g. Hiromi Oka, Gregory Polanco) that should keep the team competitive all year.

Expectation: Playoff Contender

Rakuten Eagles
(Last Year: Missed Playoffs)

The Eagles were widely considered to be the weakest team in NPB before the 2024 season but greatly overperformed and stayed alive in the playoff race until the final weeks of the year. The team’s pitching is still a major shortcoming, but the lineup is formidable, and even added top prospect Rui Muneyama in the draft. Rakuten has a bright future and should remain relevant in the middle of the pack.

Expectation: Close to .500

Orix Buffaloes
(Last Year: Missed Playoffs)

After winning three consecutive league pennants, including a Japan Series title in 2022, Orix fell to 5th place with a very disappointing showing in 2024. Many were quick to say the team was overly dependent on MLB-bound superstars like Masataka Yoshida and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. But the Buffaloes still have one of the most electric pitching staffs in Japan, spearheaded by co-aces Hiroya Miyagi and Shunpeita Yamashita, so a bounce-back season seems plausible.

Expectation: Playoff Contender

Seibu Lions
(Last Year: Missed Playoffs)

Seibu should improve upon its disastrous 2024 campaign, but the team is still far away from competing on paper. The roster has a few bright spots, mainly on the pitching side with future MLB stars like Tatsuya Imai and Kaima Taira, but the lackluster offense will continue to hold the Lions back.

Expectation: Last Place