Plenty of walk-offs and shutouts this past week in NPB. Before we recap the previous week of action, though, how about some rumors and news? Sports Nippon was among several media outlets that reported on Saturday that the Yomiuri Giants were actively looking to build a new stadium for the team. Construction could begin in 2032, which would make the stadium ready for a grand opening in 2036, marking 100 years since the team played its first-ever home game.
Fallen star slugger Yoshitomo Tsutsugo has signed a deal that will bring him back to his old team, the Yokohama DeNA Baystars. The 32-year-old will wear #25 and likely get playing time at first base while the injured Tyler Austin recovers. After that, your guess is as good as mine.
Tuesday: It was not a lack of hitting but poor pitching that did the Baystars in. The Hiroshima Carp scored 11 runs as they humiliated defeat the visiting team 11-2. Also, the Chiba Lotte Marines walked off the Saitama Seibu Lions 4-3 in 11 innings. Doing the damage was Hiromi Oka, who seems to have a knack for getting big hits. It was the Lions’ third walk-off loss of the young season.
Wednesday: Four starting pitchers contributed to their teams’ shutout wins. Masashi Itoh (6 IP) helped the Hanshin Tigers down the Giants 2-0 at Koshien Stadium. Hideaki Wakui (5 IP) did the same for his Chunichi Dragons as they blanked the Yakult Swallows 2-0 at Vantelin Dome. In the Pacific League, Orix Buffaloes first-year import Anderson Espinoza (7 IP) assisted his team to a 5-0 shutout victory over the Rakuten Eagles. Lastly, Yuji Nishino (7.2 IP) gave his Marines the opportunity to stifle the Lions by a 2-0 score.
Thursday: It took extra innings for the Tigers to beat the Giants, but it was a thriller. Closer Taisei looked good in 2024 until this one, when two hits and a walk put him in a bases-loaded situation with no outs. On a 2-2 count, Tigers’ slugger Teruaki Sato laced a ball down the right-field line, giving the Tigers a 2-1 victory. It was the tenth straight game in which the Tigers scored two or fewer runs, a new club record.
Friday: Are you ready for another walk-off? The Nippon-Ham Fighters did the trick on this day, using a bases-loaded walk against the Marines to send the Es-Con Field crowd home happy. It was an odd one, though, as the Fighters started the inning with a double and a bunt, which was countered with two intentional walks, to load the bases. That decision came back to bite them, as the closer missed the zone on a full-count pitch to Gosuke Katoh. Final: Fighters 4, Marines 3.
Saturday: The Fighters used outstanding pitching to win the second game of this series. Young righty Koki Kitayama threw a complete-game shutout while striking out seven Marines. His Fighters scored two and banked their second straight win. They would complete the sweep on Sunday. The same could be said of the Tigers, though their means of accomplishing the task was quite different. After seven runs in a shutout on Friday, they exploded for 15 on this day, beating the Dragons by a comfortable margin, 15-2.
Sunday: The Fighters (5-0) and Tigers (3-0) ended their weeks with shutout victories, but three other teams also blanked their opponents. For the second time this past weekend, the Giants and Carp played to a 0-0 tie. Completing the week of goose eggs were the Eagles, who kept the Lions off the board en route to a 1-0 win.
There have now been 30 shutout games played in just 3.5 weeks. The only team without a shutout victory are the Baystars, while the Hawks and Fighters have each been on the losing end just once apiece. The Giants and Tigers have each won five shutouts, and the Carp have been on the losing end a league-high four times.
Good Week: Tigers (5-0-1), Fighters (4-0-1), Carp (3-1-2)
Rough Week: Giants (0-3-3), Lions (1-4)
For standings and leaderboards, check these links:
- NPB Standings
- Central League Hitting Leaders
- Central League Pitching Leaders
- Pacific League Hitting Leaders
- Pacific League Pitching Leaders
