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Baseball:veteran pitcher Maeda joins Rakuten Eagles

SENDAI, Japan, Dec. 24 Kyodo - Right-hander Kenta Maeda poses for a photo with fans at Rakuten Mobile Park Miyagi in Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, on Dec. 16, 2025, as he holds his first news conference after joining the Pacific League pro baseball team Rakuten Eagles. He returned to Japan after playing for 10 years in the U.S. majors.

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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: Figure skating champ Sakamoto throws ceremonial 1st pitch

Figure skating world champion Kaori Sakamoto throws a ceremonial first pitch for a pro baseball game between the Orix Buffaloes and the Seibu Lions at Kyocera Dome Osaka in the western Japan city on April 22, 2023.

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Baseball new posting system

SENDAI, Japan - Rakuten Eagles ace Masahiro Tanaka holds a press conference after a meeting with officials of the pro baseball team at its office in Sendai, northeastern Japan, on Dec. 17, 2013, following an agreement between Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball on the terms of a new posting system. Tanaka may be the first player affected by the new rules.

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Baseball new posting system

SENDAI, Japan - Rakuten Eagles ace Masahiro Tanaka heads to a meeting with officials of the pro baseball team at its office in Sendai, northeastern Japan, on Dec. 17, 2013, after Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball agreed on the terms of a new posting system. Tanaka may be the first player affected by the new rules.

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Baseball new posting system

SENDAI, Japan - Rakuten Eagles ace Masahiro Tanaka holds a press conference after a meeting with officials of the pro baseball team at its office in Sendai, northeastern Japan, on Dec. 17, 2013, following an agreement between Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball on the terms of a new posting system. Tanaka may be the first player affected by the new rules.

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Baseball new posting system

SENDAI, Japan - Rakuten Eagles ace Masahiro Tanaka holds a press conference after a meeting with officials of the pro baseball team at its office in Sendai, northeastern Japan, on Dec. 17, 2013, following an agreement between Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball on the terms of a new posting system. Tanaka may be the first player affected by the new rules.

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Baseball new posting system

SENDAI, Japan - Rakuten Eagles ace Masahiro Tanaka heads to a meeting with officials of the pro baseball team at its office in Sendai, northeastern Japan, on Dec. 17, 2013, after Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball agreed on the terms of a new posting system. Tanaka may be the first player affected by the new rules.

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Tanaka wins Japan Pro Sports Award

TOKYO, Japan - Masahiro Tanaka, ace pitcher for the Japanese baseball club Rakuten Eagles, speaks with his trophy in hand at a hotel in Tokyo on Dec. 27, 2013, after winning his first Japan Pro Sports Award. The major league-bound right-hander went undefeated during the season and led his team to its first Japan championship.

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Nagashima, Matsui receive honor award

TOKYO, Japan - Former professional baseball players Hideki Matsui (R) and Shigeo Nagashima, Matsui's first pro skipper, wave at fans aboard a car making a circuit on the ground of Tokyo Dome in Tokyo on May 5, 2013, during a ceremony marking Matsui's retirement, given by his first pro baseball club, the Yomiuri Giants. Another ceremony was also held there later that day in which Prime Minister Shinzo Abe presented the People's Honor Award to them.

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Nagashima, Matsui receive honor award

TOKYO, Japan - Hideki Matsui is feted at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo on May 5, 2013, at a ceremony hosted by his first pro baseball club, the Yomiuri Giants, to mark his retirement. Another ceremony was also held there later that day in which Prime Minister Shinzo Abe presented the People's Honor Award to Matsui and to Hall of Famer Shigeo Nagashima, who played and managed the Giants.

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Nagashima, Matsui receive honor award

TOKYO, Japan - Former professional baseball players Hideki Matsui (R) and Shigeo Nagashima, Matsui's first pro skipper, wave at fans aboard a car making a circuit on the ground of Tokyo Dome in Tokyo on May 5, 2013, during a ceremony marking Matsui's retirement, given by his first pro baseball club, the Yomiuri Giants. Another ceremony was also held there later that day in which Prime Minister Shinzo Abe presented the People's Honor Award to them.

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Nagashima, Matsui receive honor award

TOKYO, Japan - Fans gather at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo on May 5, 2013, to attend a retirement ceremony for Hideki Matsui hosted by his first pro baseball club, the Yomiuri Giants, as well as a ceremony in which Prime Minister Shinzo Abe presented the People's Honor Award to Matsui and his first pro skipper, Hall of Famer Shigeo Nagashima.

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Nagashima, Matsui receive honor award

TOKYO, Japan - Fans gather at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo on May 5, 2013, to attend a retirement ceremony for Hideki Matsui hosted by his first pro baseball club, the Yomiuri Giants, as well as a ceremony in which Prime Minister Shinzo Abe presented the People's Honor Award to Matsui and his first pro skipper, Hall of Famer Shigeo Nagashima.

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Matsui returns to Japan ahead of ceremony

NARITA, Japan - Former professional baseball player Hideki Matsui (2nd from R) is greeted by fans at Narita airport, near Tokyo, on May 3, 2013, after his arrival from the United States. Matsui returned to Japan to attend a retirement ceremony to be given by his first pro club, the Yomiuri Giants, at Tokyo Dome on May 5, when he will also receive the People's Honor Award along with his first pro manager and Japan Hall of Famer Shigeo Nagashima.

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Matsui returns to Japan ahead of ceremony

NARITA, Japan - Former professional baseball player Hideki Matsui (3rd from R) is greeted by fans at Narita airport, near Tokyo, on May 3, 2013, after his arrival from the United States. Matsui returned to Japan to attend a retirement ceremony to be given by his first pro club, the Yomiuri Giants, at Tokyo Dome on May 5, when he will also receive the People's Honor Award along with his first pro manager and Japan Hall of Famer Shigeo Nagashima.

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Matsui returns to Japan ahead of ceremony

NARITA, Japan - Former professional baseball player Hideki Matsui (R) is greeted by fans at Narita airport, near Tokyo, on May 3, 2013, after his arrival from the United States. Matsui returned to Japan to attend a retirement ceremony to be given by his first pro club, the Yomiuri Giants, at Tokyo Dome on May 5, when he will also receive the People's Honor Award along with his first pro manager and Japan Hall of Famer Shigeo Nagashima.

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Giants bring home 1st Asia Series championship

BUSAN, South Korea - Members of the Japanese pro baseball Yomiuri Giants celebrate after defeating the Taiwan champion Lamigo Monkeys 6-3 in the final of the Asia Series Championship in Busan, South Korea, on Nov. 11, 2012, bringing home the team's first victory in the championship.

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Giants bring home 1st Asia Series championship

BUSAN, South Korea - Tatsunori Hara, manager of the Japanese pro baseball Yomiuri Giants, holds the trophy after the team defeats the Taiwan champion Lamigo Monkeys 6-3 in the final of the Asia Series Championship in Busan, South Korea, on Nov. 11, 2012, bringing home the Giants' first victory in the championship.

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Women's pro baseball back in Japan, 1st in 59 yrs

KYOTO, Japan - Members of the Hyogo Swing Smileys celebrate after they beat the Kyoto Asto Dreams in the landmark opener of Japan's female professional baseball league at Wakasa Stadium in Kyoto on April 23, 2010. The game marked resumption of women's pro competition in the sport for the first time in 59 years.

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Japanese female knuckleballer to take time off

OSAKA, Japan - Eri Yoshida, the first Japanese female pro baseball player, is photographed at JR Shin-Osaka Station on her way back to her parents' home in Yokohama after leaving her independent league club indefinitely, citing health reasons.

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Japanese female pitcher begins her first pro baseball season

OSAKA, Japan - Eri Yoshida (2nd from R), a pitcher for the Kobe 9 Cruise baseball team of the Kansai independent league, lines up with her teammates during a ceremony to start the league's season at Kyocera Dome in Osaka on March 27. Yoshida, 17, is the first woman to play in professional baseball alongside male players in Japan.

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Japanese female pitcher begins her first pro baseball season

OSAKA, Japan - Eri Yoshida, a pitcher for the Kobe 9 Cruise baseball team of the Kansai independent league, runs from the dugout at Kyocera Dome in Osaka after her name is announced during a ceremony to start the league's season. Yoshida, 17, is the first woman to play in professional baseball alongside male players in Japan.

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Waseda Jitsugyo ace Saito chooses university over pros

TOKYO, Japan - Yuki Saito, who led Waseda Jitsugyo to its first title in a victory over Komadai Tomakomai at the national high school baseball championship last month, said at his school in Tokyo on Sept. 11 he has decided to attend university instead of playing pro baseball.

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Pro baseball season begins with PL games

SAPPORO, Japan - Nippon Ham Fighters infielder Michita Ogasawara slams a solo homer run in the bottom of the first inning of the team's opening game against the Rakuten Golden Eagles at Sapporo Dome on March 25. The fighters edged the Golden Eagles 3-1. Japan's 2006 pro baseball season began with three Pacific League games.

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Pro baseball season begins with PL games

TOKOROZAWA, Japan - Turin Olympic figure skating gold medalist Shizuka Arakawa is about to throw the first ball at the start of a game between the Seibu Lions and the Orix BlueWave at Invoice Seibu Dome on March 25. Japan's 2006 pro baseball season began with three Pacific League games.

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Pro baseball season begins with PL games

TOKOROZAWA, Japan - Turin Olympic figure skating gold medalist Shizuka Arakawa waves at fans after her ceremonial first pitch at the start of a game between the Seibu Lions and the Orix BlueWave at Invoice Seibu Dome on March 25. Japan's 2006 pro baseball season began with three Pacific League games.

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Tao gets axe as Rakuten to end season in cellar

TOKYO, Japan - Rakuten Eagles manager Yasushi Tao (file photo) will be given his walking papers in a dismissal at the end of the season to take responsibility for the Pacific League club's dismal performance, team sources said Sept. 25. Tao signed a three-year contract to take the helm of Rakuten, which was the first team to be created in Japanese pro baseball in nearly half a century.

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(2)Baseball fans gather at autograph sessions

TOKYO, Japan - Atsuya Furuta (C), Yakult Swallows catcher and head of the pro baseball players association (a labor union), and other players bow in a gesture of apology during a gathering with fans held in Tokyo's Ginza district on Sept. 19, the second day of the first-ever strike by Japanese pro ball players.

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(9)1st strike by Japanese baseball players begins

SAPPORO, Japan - Fans queue at JR Sapporo Station on Sept. 18 for autographs of Nippon Ham Fighters manager Trey Hillman (R) as pro baseball players went on the first strike in the 70-year history of the sport in Japan.

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(6)1st strike by Japanese baseball players begins

NAGOYA, Japan - Yomiuri Giants team captain Yoshinobu Takahashi speaks with reporters at Nagoya Dome on Sept. 18 as pro baseball players went on the first strike in the 70-year history of the sport in Japan.

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(7)1st strike by Japanese baseball players begins

TOKYO, Japan - Yakult Swallows outfielder Alex Ramirez (2nd from R) poses with fans at Jingu Stadium in Tokyo on Sept. 18 as pro baseball players went on the first strike in the 70-year history of the sport in Japan.

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(8)1st strike by Japanese baseball players begins

SAPPORO, Japan - Nippon Ham Fighters infielder Michihiro Ogasawara gives his autograph outside an indoor training facility in Sapporo, Hokkaido, on Sept. 18 as pro baseball players went on the first strike in the 70-year history of the sport in Japan.

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(1)1st strike by Japanese baseball players begins

FUKUOKA, Japan - Seibu Lions pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka leaves his hotel in Fukuoka on Sept. 18 for Tokyo as Japanese pro baseball players went on the first strike in the 70-year history of the sport in Japan after talks with management over the realignment of baseball clubs ended without an agreement the previous day.

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(5)1st strike by Japanese baseball players begins

KOBE, Japan - A father and his son look at the strike notice put up at Yahoo BB Stadium in Kobe on Sept. 18 as Japanese pro baseball players went on the first strike in the 70-year history of the sport in Japan.

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(2)1st strike by Japanese baseball players begins

SAPPORO, Japan - Nippon Ham Fighters outfielder Tsuyoshi Shinjo arrive an indoor training facility in Sapporo, Hokkaido, on Sept. 18 as Japanese pro baseball players went on the first strike in the 70-year history of the sport in Japan.

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(3)1st strike by Japanese baseball players begins

FUKUOKA, Japan - A man gets his ticket refunded at Fukuoka Dome on Sept. 18 as Japanese pro baseball players went on the first strike in the 70-year history of the sport in Japan.

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(4)1st strike by Japanese baseball players begins

SAPPORO, Japan - A mother and her two sons get their tickets refunded at Sapporo Dome in Hokkaido on Sept. 18 as Japanese pro baseball players went on the first strike in the 70-year history of the sport in Japan.

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(1)Ball players to strike after NPB talks fail

TOKYO, Japan - Atsuya Furuta (C), a catcher with the Central League ball club Yakult Swallows who heads the Japan Professional Baseball Players Association, speaks at a press conference at a Tokyo hotel Sept. 17 after negotiations with Nippon Professional Baseball ended in failure. Players will go on strike Sept. 18 and 19 for the first time in the 70-year history of Japanese pro baseball.

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Terahara earns first victory in pro baseball

FUKUOKA, Japan - Fukuoka Daiei Hawks' pitcher Hayato Terahara smiles as he scores the first victory in professional baseball matches in a game against the Orix Bluewave at Fukuoka Dome, in Fukuoka Prefecture, on April 28.

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Rookie Ando earns first win

KOSHIEN, Japan - Hanshin rookie Yuya Ando holds Yokohama batters to two hits over eight innings in a 124-pitch outing to earn his first win in pro baseball at Koshien Stadium on April 14. The Tigers eked out a 1-0 victory over the Yokohama BayStars.

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Yakult starter Ishikawa notched his first win

TOKYO, Japan - Yakult Swallows starter scatters four hits to go for six and 2/3 innings to notch his first pro baseball win over the Hiroshima Toyo Carp at Jingu Ball Park on April 4.

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First pro-baseball game held at Sapporo Dome

SAPPORO, Japan - Some 43,000 baseball fans watch a ceremony at the newly-opened Sapporo Dome in Hokkaido on June 26, held before the start of the first professional baseball game there between the Yomiuri Giants and the Chunichi Dragons. The dome, which opened June 2, will host 12 Central and Pacific League games this season, with an all-star game scheduled for July 24.

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Sanders picks first win

TOKYO, Japan - Nippon Ham Fighters starter Scott Sanders goes the distance to pick his first win since joining Japan's pro baseball as the Fighters edged the Chiba Lotte Marines 2-1 at Tokyo Dome on June 12.

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Matsuzaka, 7 pros arrive in Sydney for Olympic baseball

SYDNEY, Australia - Seibu Lions star pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka (L) is all smiles for reporters and photographers as he and seven other professional baseball players on the Japanese national team arrive in Sydney on Sept. 15 for the 2000 Olympic Games. The Olympic baseball tourney, the first to allow pro players to take part, gets under way Sept. 17 with Japan taking on the United States in one of four preliminary round contests.

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Baseball: Murakami hits homer in 5 consecutive at-bats

Munetaka Murakami of the Yakult Swallows celebrates after hitting a two-run home run in the third inning of a Central League baseball game against the Chunichi Dragons on Aug. 2, 2022, at Jingu Stadium in Tokyo, becoming the first pro baseball player in Japan to hit a homer in five consecutive at-bats.

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Baseball: Murakami hits homer in 5 consecutive at-bats

Munetaka Murakami of the Yakult Swallows receive flowers after hitting a two-run home run in the third inning of a Central League baseball game against the Chunichi Dragons on Aug. 2, 2022, at Jingu Stadium in Tokyo, becoming the first pro baseball player in Japan to hit a homer in five consecutive at-bats.

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Baseball: Murakami hits homer in 5 consecutive at-bats

Munetaka Murakami of the Yakult Swallows hits a two-run home run in the third inning of a Central League baseball game against the Chunichi Dragons on Aug. 2, 2022, at Jingu Stadium in Tokyo, becoming the first pro baseball player in Japan to hit a homer in five consecutive at-bats.

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Baseball: Murakami hits homer in 5 consecutive at-bats

Munetaka Murakami of the Yakult Swallows hits a two-run home run in the third inning of a Central League baseball game against the Chunichi Dragons on Aug. 2, 2022, at Jingu Stadium in Tokyo, becoming the first pro baseball player in Japan to hit a homer in five consecutive at-bats.

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Yakult starter Ishikawa notched his first win

TOKYO, Japan - Yakult Swallows starter scatters four hits to go for six and 2/3 innings to notch his first pro baseball win over the Hiroshima Toyo Carp at Jingu Ball Park on April 4.