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Baseball: GM meetings in Las Vegas

Seattle Mariners general manager Justin Hollander meets the press as Major League Baseball's general manager meetings get under way in Las Vegas on Nov. 12, 2025. Hollander expressed an interest in acquiring Yakult Swallows slugger Munetaka Murakami after the Japanese Central League team posted the 25-year-old to MLB.

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Baseball: Giants' Maru hits for cycle

Yoshihiro Maru of the Yomiuri Giants hits a two-run home run in the first inning of a baseball game against the Yakult Swallows at Jingu Stadium in Tokyo on Aug. 19, 2025. Maru hit for the cycle during the game, becoming the 72nd player to achieve the feat in Nippon Professional Baseball history.

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Baseball: Giants' Maru hits for cycle

Yoshihiro Maru of the Yomiuri Giants hits for the cycle with an RBI triple in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Yakult Swallows at Jingu Stadium in Tokyo on Aug. 19, 2025. Maru become the 72nd player to hit for the cycle in Nippon Professional Baseball history.

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Baseball: Giants' Maru hits for cycle

Yoshihiro Maru (8) of the Yomiuri Giants reacts after hitting an RBI triple in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Yakult Swallows at Jingu Stadium in Tokyo on Aug. 19, 2025. With the triple, Maru became the 72nd player to hit for the cycle in Nippon Professional Baseball history.

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Baseball: Giants' Maru hits for cycle

Yoshihiro Maru (far L) of the Yomiuri Giants celebrates with teammates after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning of a baseball game against the Yakult Swallows at Jingu Stadium in Tokyo on Aug. 19, 2025. Maru hit for the cycle during the game, becoming the 72nd player to achieve the feat in Nippon Professional Baseball history.

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Baseball: Giants' Maru hits for cycle

Yoshihiro Maru of the Yomiuri Giants strikes his signature pose following an interview after hitting for the cycle in a baseball game against the Yakult Swallows at Jingu Stadium in Tokyo on Aug. 19, 2025. Maru became the 72nd player to achieve the feat in Nippon Professional Baseball history.

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Baseball: Giants' Maru hits for cycle

Yoshihiro Maru of the Yomiuri Giants slides into third base head first as he hits an RBI triple in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Yakult Swallows at Jingu Stadium in Tokyo on Aug. 19, 2025. With the triple, Maru became the 72nd player to hit for the cycle in Nippon Professional Baseball history.

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Baseball: Giants' Maru hits for cycle

Combined photo shows Yoshihiro Maru of the Yomiuri Giants hitting (from L) a two-run home run in the first inning, a single in the third inning, a double in the fifth inning and an RBI triple in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Yakult Swallows at Jingu Stadium in Tokyo on Aug. 19, 2025. Maru became the 72nd player to hit for the cycle in Nippon Professional Baseball history.

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Baseball: Giants' Maru hits for cycle

Yoshihiro Maru (R) of the Yomiuri Giants is greeted by teammate Yuta Izuguchi after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning of a baseball game against the Yakult Swallows at Jingu Stadium in Tokyo on Aug. 19, 2025. Maru hit for the cycle during the game, becoming the 72nd player to achieve the feat in Nippon Professional Baseball history.

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Japanese baseball legend Nagashima

Yomiuri Giants manager Shigeo Nagashima (33) cheers with outfielder Hideki Matsui following the team's walk-off win against the Yakult Swallows in a baseball game at Tokyo Dome on Sept. 14, 1996. Japanese baseball legend Nagashima died on June 3, 2025, aged 89.

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Baseball: Pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano

Tomoyuki Sugano of the Yomiuri Giants pitches against the Yakult Swallows during a baseball game at Tokyo Dome in the Japanese capital on Aug. 4, 2024.

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Baseball: Yakult outfielder Aoki to retire at season's end

TOKYO, Japan, Sept. 13 Kyodo - Yakult Swallows outfielder Norichika Aoki speaks at a press conference in Tokyo on Sept. 13, 2024, announcing his retirement from professional baseball at the end of the 2024 season. (Kyodo)

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Baseball: Ex-MLB outfielder Aoki retires

Former Major League Baseball outfielder Norichika Aoki of the Yakult Swallows plays center field during the seventh inning of the final game of his career against the Hiroshima Carp on Oct. 2, 2024, at Tokyo's Jingu Stadium.

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Baseball: Ex-MLB outfielder Aoki retires

Former Major League Baseball outfielder Norichika Aoki of the Yakult Swallows hits a double during the sixth inning of the final game of his career against the Hiroshima Carp on Oct. 2, 2024, at Tokyo's Jingu Stadium.

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Baseball: Ex-MLB outfielder Aoki retires

Former Major League Baseball outfielder Norichika Aoki of the Yakult Swallows rounds first base after hitting a double during the sixth inning of the final game of his career against the Hiroshima Carp on Oct. 2, 2024, at Tokyo's Jingu Stadium.

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Baseball: Ex-MLB outfielder Aoki retires

Former Major League Baseball outfielder Norichika Aoki of the Yakult Swallows acknowledges the crowd during the final game of his career against the Hiroshima Carp on Oct. 2, 2024, at Tokyo's Jingu Stadium.

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Baseball: Ex-MLB outfielder Aoki retires

Former Major League Baseball outfielder Norichika Aoki (23) of the Yakult Swallows watches a video message from former Seattle Mariner Ichiro Suzuki during his retirement ceremony following the final game of his career against the Hiroshima Carp on Oct. 2, 2024, at Tokyo's Jingu Stadium.

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Baseball: Ex-MLB outfielder Aoki retires

Former Major League Baseball outfielder Norichika Aoki of the Yakult Swallows bursts into tears during his retirement ceremony following the final game of his career against the Hiroshima Carp on Oct. 2, 2024, at Tokyo's Jingu Stadium.

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Baseball: Ex-MLB outfielder Aoki retires

Former Major League Baseball outfielder Norichika Aoki (facing camera) of the Yakult Swallows gives flowers to his family during his retirement ceremony following the final game of his career against the Hiroshima Carp on Oct. 2, 2024, at Tokyo's Jingu Stadium.

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Baseball: Ex-MLB outfielder Aoki retires

Former Major League Baseball outfielder Norichika Aoki (C) of the Yakult Swallows poses for a photo during his retirement ceremony following the final game of his career against the Hiroshima Carp on Oct. 2, 2024, at Tokyo's Jingu Stadium, alongside pitcher Masanori Ishikawa and team mascot Tsubakuro.

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Baseball: Ex-MLB outfielder Aoki retires

Former Major League Baseball outfielder Norichika Aoki (R) of the Yakult Swallows acknowledges the crowd during his retirement ceremony following the final game of his career against the Hiroshima Carp on Oct. 2, 2024, at Tokyo's Jingu Stadium.

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Baseball: Ex-MLB outfielder Aoki retires

Former Major League Baseball outfielder Norichika Aoki (R) of the Yakult Swallows acknowledges the crowd after his retirement ceremony following the final game of his career against the Hiroshima Carp on Oct. 2, 2024, at Tokyo's Jingu Stadium.

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Baseball: Ex-MLB outfielder Aoki retires

Former Major League Baseball outfielder Norichika Aoki (L) of the Yakult Swallows hugs his son, who threw the ceremonial first pitch, prior to the final game of his career against the Hiroshima Carp on Oct. 2, 2024, at Tokyo's Jingu Stadium.

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Baseball: Ex-MLB outfielder Aoki retires

Former Major League Baseball outfielder Norichika Aoki (R) of the Yakult Swallows hugs infielder Munetaka Murakami after winning the final game of his career against the Hiroshima Carp on Oct. 2, 2024, at Tokyo's Jingu Stadium.

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Baseball: Ex-MLB outfielder Aoki retires

Former Major League Baseball outfielder Norichika Aoki of the Yakult Swallows is tossed into the air by teammates during his retirement ceremony following the final game of his career against the Hiroshima Carp on Oct. 2, 2024, at Tokyo's Jingu Stadium.

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Baseball: Ex-MLB outfielder Aoki retires

Former Major League Baseball outfielder Norichika Aoki of the Yakult Swallows is tossed into the air by teammates during his retirement ceremony following the final game of his career against the Hiroshima Carp on Oct. 2, 2024, at Tokyo's Jingu Stadium.

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Baseball: Yakult's outfielder Aoki to retire

Yakult Swallows outfielder Norichika Aoki smiles with a celebrative board after marking the 2,500th hit of his combined career in Japan and the United States during a game against the Nippon Ham Fighters at Jingu Stadium in Tokyo on May 26, 2021. Aoki announced on Sept. 13, 2024, that he will retire at the end of the season.

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Baseball: Yakult outfielder Aoki to retire at season's end

Yakult Swallows outfielder Norichika Aoki speaks at a press conference in Tokyo on Sept. 13, 2024, announcing his retirement from professional baseball at the end of the 2024 season.

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Baseball: Yakult outfielder Aoki to retire at season's end

Yakult Swallows outfielder Norichika Aoki speaks at a press conference in Tokyo on Sept. 13, 2024, announcing his retirement from professional baseball at the end of the 2024 season.

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Baseball: Yakult outfielder Aoki to retire at season's end

Yakult Swallows outfielder Norichika Aoki speaks at a press conference in Tokyo on Sept. 13, 2024, announcing his retirement from professional baseball at the end of the 2024 season.

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Baseball: Yakult Swallows slugger Munetaka Murakami

The Central League's Munetaka Murakami of the Yakult Swallows hits a two-run home run in the second inning of a Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star game against the Pacific League at Es Con Field Hokkaido in Kitahiroshima, Hokkaido, on July 23, 2024.

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Baseball: Yakult vs. Eagles

Masanori Ishikawa of the Yakult Swallows pitches against the Rakuten Eagles on June 2, 2024, in an interleague baseball game at Rakuten Mobile Park Miyagi in the northeastern Japan city of Sendai. The 44-year-old earned his first win of the season, becoming the first to get at least one win in 23 straight seasons since turning pro.

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Baseball: Yakult Swallows pitcher Miguel Yajure

Miguel Yajure of the Yakult Swallows pitches in a baseball game against the Yomiuri Giants at Tokyo Dome in the Japanese capital on April 29, 2024.

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Baseball: Swallows' Barnette

TOKYO, Japan, April 30 Kyodo - Yakult Swallows catcher Yuhei Nakamura (back) throws his arms around pitcher Tony Barnette as their team beat the Yomiuri Giants at Jingu Stadium in Tokyo on Oct. 17, 2015, to advance to the Japan Series for the first time in 14 years. (Kyodo)

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Baseball: Yakult Swallows players

TOKYO, Japan, April 30 Kyodo - Yakult Swallows players -- (clockwise from front row, L) Shohei Tateyama, Wladimir Balentien, Kazuhiro Hatakeyama, Tony Barnette, Katsuki Akagawa and Ryoji Aikawa -- pose for photos on July 2, 2012, at Jingu Stadium in Tokyo after being picked by the Central League's manager for the Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star series. (Kyodo)

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Baseball: Swallows' Barnette

TOKYO, Japan, April 30 Kyodo - Yakult Swallows starting pitcher Tony Barnette (front) leaves the mound in the middle of the third inning of a baseball game against the Hanshin Tigers at Jingu Stadium in Tokyo on June 25, 2010. (Kyodo)

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Baseball: Yakult Swallows players

TOKYO, Japan, April 30 Kyodo - Yakult Swallows' players, (from L) Yuhei Nakamura, Tony Barnette and Tetsuto Yamada, pose for photos on July 2, 2015, at Jingu Stadium in Tokyo, after being picked by the Central League's manager for the Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star series. (Kyodo)

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Baseball: Swallows' Barnette

TOKYO, Japan, April 30 Kyodo - Yakult Swallows pitcher Tony Barnette gives up a walk-off single to pinch-hitter Yoshinobu Takahashi of the Yomiuri Giants in the ninth inning of a baseball game at Tokyo Dome on Aug. 1, 2013. (Kyodo)

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Baseball: Swallows' Barnette

TOKYO, Japan, April 30 Kyodo - Yakult Swallows starting pitcher Tony Barnette (L) gives up a three-run home run to Alex Ramirez (R) of the Yomiuri Giants in the first inning of a baseball game at Tokyo Dome on May 5, 2010. (Kyodo)

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Baseball: MLB World Series

Former Yakult Swallows catcher Atsuya Furuta (L) reunites with former teammate and current Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo ahead of Game 3 of the MLB World Series at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, on Oct. 30, 2023.

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Baseball: Hanshin player Koji Chikamoto

Koji Chikamoto of the Hanshin Tigers is pictured during a baseball game against the Yakult Swallows at Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 7, 2022.

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Baseball: Yakult Swallows pitcher Tony Barnette

TOKYO, Japan, Aug. 14 Kyodo - Yakult Swallows pitcher Tony Barnette lets out a roar after striking out the final Yomiuri Giants batter in the ninth inning during Game 3 of a Central League Climax Series baseball playoff game at Jingu Stadium in Tokyo on Oct. 16, 2015.

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Summer heat in Japan

Baseball fans stand under mist showers on a sweltering hot day at Mazda Stadium in Hiroshima, western Japan, ahead of a game between the Hiroshima Carp and the Yakult Swallows on July 27, 2023, with the mercury topping 35 C in many parts of Japan.

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Baseball: Hideki Kuriyama

TOKYO, Japan, July 7 Kyodo - Photo taken on Jan. 21, 1984, shows Yakult Swallows player Hideki Kuriyama in his rookie season in Nippon Professional Baseball. Kuriyama went on to become a professor at Hakuoh University, TV baseball commentator and manager of the Nippon Ham Fighters.

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Baseball: Shota Imanaga

DeNA BayStars pitcher Shota Imanaga throws against the Yakult Swallows in a baseball game at Yokohama Stadium in Yokohama near Tokyo on Sept. 12, 2022.

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Baseball: Ski jumper Takanashi throws ceremonial 1st pitch

Japanese ski jumper Sara Takanashi is pictured after throwing a ceremonial first pitch for an interleague baseball game between the Lotte Marines and the Yakult Swallows at Zozo Marine Stadium in Chiba, near Tokyo, on June 6, 2023.

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Baseball: Japan's WBC practice

Yakult Swallows slugger Munetaka Murakami returns to the dugout after striking out during the Japanese national baseball team's practice match against the Central League's Chunichi Dragons in Nagoya, central Japan, on March 2, 2023, in preparation for the World Baseball Classic.

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Baseball: Japan's WBC practice

Yakult Swallows slugger Munetaka Murakami strikes out during the Japanese national baseball team's practice match against the Central League's Chunichi Dragons in Nagoya, central Japan, on March 2, 2023, in preparation for the World Baseball Classic.

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Baseball: Samurai Japan in Nagoya

Yakult Swallows slugger Munetaka Murakami takes batting practice ahead of Japan's World Baseball Classic warm-up games at Vantelin Dome Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, on March 1, 2023.

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Baseball: Samurai Japan in Nagoya

Yakult Swallows slugger Munetaka Murakami (R) takes practice swings ahead of Japan's World Baseball Classic warm-up games at Vantelin Dome Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, on March 1, 2023.