2020 Japan Series

Last updated
2020 Japan Series
2020 Japan Series Logo.png
Team (Wins) Manager(s) Season
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (4) Kimiyasu Kudo 73–42–5 (.635)
Yomiuri Giants (0) Tatsunori Hara 67–45–8 (.598)
DatesNovember 21–25
MVP Ryoya Kurihara (SoftBank)
FSA Shosei Togo (Yomiuri)
UmpiresAtsushi Fukaya, Masaharu Kasahara, Naoto Shikita, Tetsuya Shimata, Chikara Tsugawa, Takanori Yamamoto
Broadcast
Television NTV (Games 1–2)
NHK-BS1 (Games 2–4)
TV Asahi (Game 3)
Fuji TV (Game 4)
←  2019 Japan Series 2021  →

The 2020 Japan Series (known as the SMBC Nippon Series 2020 for sponsorship reasons) was the championship series of Nippon Professional Baseball's (NPB) 2020 season. The 71st edition of the Japan Series, it was played from November 21 to 25. The series was a best-of-seven playoff between the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, the Pacific League's (PL) Climax Series champion, and the defending Japan Series champions, and the Yomiuri Giants, the Central League's (CL) regular-season champion. The series was a rematch of the previous year's Japan Series.

Contents

The Hawks finished the season in 1st place, their first PL title since 2017. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the PL decided to modify the traditional Climax Series format and eliminate the First Stage series to instead play only one modified Final Stage series. In this series, SoftBank defeated the Chiba Lotte Marines, the regular season runner-up to advance to the Japan Series. The CL cancelled their Climax Series altogether due to the pandemic, opting instead to send their regular-season champion, the Giants, directly to the Japan Series.

The Hawks swept the Giants for the second straight year to win the series, their fourth straight. SoftBank outfielder Ryoya Kurihara was named the Japan Series Most Valuable Player.

With the Hawks' Japan Series win, for the first time since 1950, the Pacific League led in Japan Series titles.

The series would also be the second most one-sided Japan Series, with the Hawks outscoring the Giants, 26-4. Only the 2005 Japan Series was more one-sided, 33–4 in favor of the Chiba Lotte Marines over the Hanshin Tigers.

Climax Series

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) to modify the Climax Series. Instead of having the regular season's top three teams participate in the usual two-stage playoff, the Pacific League (PL) decided to eliminate the First Stage series and play only one modified Final Stage series. The league's champion and the runner-up competed in a best-of-four series, with the champion receiving a one-win advantage. The first team to win three games advanced to the Japan Series. The Central League (CL) decided to eliminate their Climax Series altogether, instead opting to sending the regular-season champion directly to the Japan Series. [1]

The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks finished the PL regular season in first place, winning the team its first PL pennant since 2017. The team had finished either first- or second-place in the league in nine of the last 11 seasons, including every year since 2014. [2] The Chiba Lotte Marines narrowly edged out the Saitama Seibu Lions at the end of the season to secure second place and the chance to play the Hawks in the Climax Series. During the regular season, the Hawks and the Marines played 24 games against each other. The Marines won the season series with a 12–11–1 record, however the Hawks won seven of the last eight games. [3] Lotte finished the season 14  games behind the first-place SoftBank. [4] With the one-win advantage and two consecutive come-from-behind Climax Series wins, the Hawks advanced past the Marines to the Japan Series to compete against the Yomiuri Giants. [5] Because the CL's decision to eliminate its Climax Series, the Giants advanced directly to the Japan Series. [6] Yomiuri finished the season 7.5 games ahead of the nearest runner-up, the Hanshin Tigers. [7]

Pacific League Climax Series Japan Series
CL1 Yomiuri Giants 0
1 Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 3 PL1 Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 4
2 Chiba Lotte Marines 0

Series notes

The series was a rematch of last year's Japan Series between the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and the Yomiuri Giants, in which the Hawks swept the Giants to win in four straight games. [8] SoftBank won the previous three Japan Series and five in the last six years and were looking to become only the second NPB team to ever win four or more titles consecutively, behind only the Giants' nine-year streak from 1965 to 1973. [9] Yomiuri had won 22 Japan Series championships, more than any other team in the NPB, [8] However, the last time they had won was in 2012, which was also the last time a Central League team had won. [10] Heading into the series, the CL and PL had both claimed an equal number of championships, each having won 35 times. The Hawks were looking to put the PL ahead for the first time since the Mainichi Orions won the first Japan Series in 1950. [10]

Kyocera Dome Osaka served as the Giants' home field due to a scheduling conflict at Tokyo Dome. Kyocera Dome Osaka1.jpg
Kyocera Dome Osaka served as the Giants' home field due to a scheduling conflict at Tokyo Dome.

Home field advantage for the Japan Series alternates between the Pacific and Central leagues every year. For this series, it was the CL's turn to receive the advantage, so home field was awarded to the Giants. [11] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) pushed back the start of the season from March 20 to June 19 and shortened it from 143 games to 120 games. The change in schedule forced the Japan Series to be postponed from its original November 7–15 schedule. [12] Before the schedule was shifted, however, the Giants' home stadium, Tokyo Dome, was already planned to be used for the Intercity baseball tournament for the period of time that the Japan Series would eventually be rescheduled for. Therefore, because of the scheduling conflict, the Giants' Japan Series home games were instead played at Kyocera Dome Osaka, the PL's Orix Buffaloes home stadium. It was the first time a Japan Series game was held outside either of the two participating teams' home stadiums since the 1980 Japan Series. [13] For the seventh year in a row, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) sponsored the naming rights for the Japan Series, so it was officially known as the "2020 SMBC Japan Series". [14]

COVID-19 measures

Along with the All-Star Series, interleague play was removed from the 2020 season to maximize the number of intraleague games that could be played during the pandemic-shortened season. Therefore, the Giants and the Hawks did not play each other during the regular season. [12] Another pandemic-related change enacted during the regular season and the PL Climax Series dictated that games would end in a tie if no winner was determined after ten innings, a change from the usual 12-innings from previous seasons. [15] [16] Games played in the Japan Series, however, will be played through 12 innings if necessary. [17] Two days before the start of the series, NPB also decided to adopt the designated hitter (DH) rule for all games in the series, including games hosted by the Central League team. Typically, games played at the CL team's stadium would require pitchers to bat in accordance with the CL rules. However, with the shortened and condensed season, pitchers had been fatigued more than usual. Also, with interleague play cancelled, PL pitchers never needed to bat all season. Therefore, the DH rule was implemented to lower the risk of injury to pitchers. It was the first time since the 1985 Japan Series that all games in the series featured the DH. [18] In accordance with government guidelines, attendance of the games was limited to 50% of the stadiums' respective capacities. [19] Because of this, the series' total attendance was 69,798, the lowest in Japan Series history. [20] The series started and completed without any outbreaks, but if the series could not be continued due to an outbreak of COVID-19, the team with the most wins at the time would be declared the champions. If the series was tied at the time, the team with the better Team Quality Balance (TQB) [lower-alpha 1] would be declared the champions. [19]

Summary

Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks won the series, 4–0.

GameDateScoreLocationTimeAttendance 
1November 21Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks – 5, Yomiuri Giants – 1 Kyocera Dome Osaka 3:3416,489 [22]  
2November 22Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks – 13, Yomiuri Giants – 2Kyocera Dome Osaka3:4016,333 [23]  
3November 24Yomiuri Giants – 0, Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks – 4 PayPay Dome 2:5817,297 [24]  
4November 25Yomiuri Giants – 1, Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks – 4PayPay Dome3:2219,679 [25]

Game summaries

Game 1

Ryoya Kurihara drove in four runs for the Hawks in their Game 1 win. R.KURIHARA.jpg
Ryoya Kurihara drove in four runs for the Hawks in their Game 1 win.
Saturday, November 21, 2020, 6:13 pm (JST) at Kyocera Dome Osaka in Osaka, Osaka Prefecture
Team123456789 R H E
SoftBank020002010580
Yomiuri000000001140
WP: Kodai Senga (1–0)   LP: Tomoyuki Sugano (0–1)
Home runs:
SBH: Ryoya Kurihara (1)
YOM: None
Attendance: 16,489
Boxscore

In the first Japan Series game held outside either of the two participating teams' home stadiums since 1980, [13] Tomoyuki Sugano started the game for the Yomiuri Giants. [26] After the Hawks' Yurisbel Gracial singled in the second inning, Sugano gave up a two-run home run to Ryoya Kurihara to give the Hawks the early lead. Kurihara later hit a two-out double in the fourth inning and attempted to score on a single by Alfredo Despaigne, however he was thrown out at the plate to end the inning. Then, with two outs in the sixth inning, Sugano hit Yuki Yanagita and allowed Gracial to reach base with a single. Kurihara then collected two more runs batted in (RBIs) on his second double of the game. Sugano was removed after the inning; it was the first time he had allowed four runs in a start since his second game of the season. Akira Nakamura drove in the Hawks' final run in the eighth inning with an RBI single. [26]

SoftBank starter Kodai Senga lasted seven scoreless innings, striking out six batters and walking three. The Giants had a scoring opportunity in the fourth when he walked two batters to start the inning, however Yoshihiro Maru hit into a double play and Senga retired the next batter. Yomiuri loaded the bases with one out in the ninth inning against Hawks closer Yuito Mori, but they were only able to score one run on a sacrifice fly by Zelous Wheeler. The Hawks' win was their record ninth-straight Japan Series win and their record 13th-straight postseason win. [26]

Game 2

In Game 2, Alfredo Despaigne tied a Japan Series single-game record with six runs batted in. Hawks54-Despaigne (cropped).jpg
In Game 2, Alfredo Despaigne tied a Japan Series single-game record with six runs batted in.
Sunday, November 22, 2020, 6:11 pm (JST) at Kyocera Dome Osaka in Osaka, Osaka Prefecture
Team123456789 R H E
SoftBank31201040213150
Yomiuri000020000252
WP: Shuta Ishikawa (1–0)   LP: Nobutaka Imamura (0–1)
Home runs:
SBH: Takuya Kai (1), Yurisbel Gracial (1), Alfredo Despaigne(1)
YOM: Zelous Wheeler (1)
Attendance: 16,333
Boxscore

The Giants' Nobutaka Imamura and the Hawks' Shuta Ishikawa, the starting pitchers, made their first Japan Series starts in game 2. [27] SoftBank immediately took the lead in the first inning after Imamura issued a one-out walk and Yanagita doubled to drive home the game's first run. Then, after catching a ground ball, a wild throw to first base by Yomiuri second baseman Naoki Yoshikawa allowed Gracial to reach the base safely and the second run to score. Another single followed by a Despaigne groundout drove in Gracial for the third Hawks' run of the inning. The Hawks scoring continued next inning when Takuya Kai hit a one-out solo home run to give the Hawks a 4–1 lead. Imamura was replaced later that same inning by regular-season starter Shosei Togo. SoftBank continued to score, however, as Yanagita opened the third inning with a single and Gracial hit a home run to drive him home. After failing to score in the fourth inning, the Hawks bounced back in the fifth when the Giants brought in another regular-season starter, Kazuto Taguchi, to relive Togo. With one out, Taguchi walked Gracial and Kurihara singled before Despaigne's sacrifice fly gave the Hawks their seventh run. [28]

After four scoreless innings, Ishikawa hit Hiroyuki Nakajima with one out and Wheeler gave the Giants their only runs of the night via a two-run home run. Wheeler drove in all three of Yomiuri's runs through the first two games of the series. Ishikawa was removed from the game after giving up back-to-back singles with one out in the sixth inning. He allowed two runs on four hits, a walk and a hit batsman, while striking out seven. The Giants went on to load the bases but didn't score after the Hawks' second reliever of the inning struck out Hiroyuki Nakajima to end the threat. [28] Despaigne, however, capitalized on a bases loaded chance when he hit a grand slam in the seventh inning to put the Hawks ahead by seven. Despaigne's grand slam was the Hawks' first in franchise history in the Japan Series and also allowed him to tie the Japan Series record for the most RBIs in one game, with six. SoftBank added to their lead one last time in the ninth inning when they scored two runs on a throwing error by Giants pitcher Kan Otake. The win extended the Hawks' record consecutive Japan Series win streak to ten games. [27]

Game 3

Matt Moore didn't allow a hit through seven innings. 20190217 Matt Moore Detroit Tigers (cropped).jpg
Matt Moore didn't allow a hit through seven innings.
Tuesday, November 24, 2020, 6:33 pm (JST) at Fukuoka PayPay Dome in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture
Team123456789 R H E
Yomiuri000000000011
SoftBank00200020X482
WP: Matt Moore (1–0)   LP: Ángel Sánchez (0–1)
Home runs:
YOM: None
SBH: Akira Nakamura (1)
Attendance: 17,297
Boxscore

In Game 3, Matt Moore started for SoftBank and Ángel Sánchez for Yomiuri. Sánchez retired eight of the first nine Hawks batters he faced before allowing a two-out single in the third inning. Akira Nakamura then put the Hawks ahead with a two-run home run. Sánchez didn't allow another run into the sixth inning when the Giants intentionally loaded the bases with only one out. Giants second baseman Naoki Yoshikawa, however, made an impressive defensive play to save runs and end the inning. The next inning, Sanchez was removed from the game after allowing a single and a sacrifice. Relief pitcher Yuhei Takanashi then went on to hit a batter and allow Nakamura to hit an RBI single, his third RBI of the night. Kan Otake replaced Takanashi but gave up an RBI single to Yurisbel Gracial to extend the Hawks' lead to 4–0. [29]

After doubling their lead in the bottom of the seventh inning, Hawks manager Kimiyasu Kudo made the decision to pull Moore from the game after throwing 93 pitches despite him having a no-hitter at the time. [29] [30] No pitcher has thrown a complete game no-hitter in Japan Series history, [29] however the Chunichi Dragons made a similar decision in the 2007 Japan Series when Daisuke Yamai after eight perfect innings in Game 5 that resulted in a combined perfect game. [30] In addition to not allowing any hits, Moore pitched seven scoreless innings, struck out five, walked two, and two batters reached base on errors against him. [29] Livan Moinelo, Moore's relief, hit one batter and walked another in the eighth inning but kept the no-hitter intact by striking out three Giants hitters. Hawks closer Mori then picked up two outs in the ninth inning before giving up a single to Yoshihiro Maru, the Giants' first and only hit of the game. Game 3 extended three Hawks win streaks: 11 consecutive Japan Series games, 15 consecutive Japan Series games at home, and 15 consecutive postseason games. [30]

Game 4

Yuki Yanagita hit a two-run home run in Game 4. HAWKS44-YANAGITA.jpg
Yuki Yanagita hit a two-run home run in Game 4.
Wednesday, November 25, 2020, 6:34 pm (JST) at Fukuoka PayPay Dome in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture
Team123456789 R H E
Yomiuri100000000160
SoftBank22000000X450
WP: Yuki Matsumoto (1–0)   LP: Seishu Hatake (0–1)   Sv: Yuito Mori (1)
Home runs:
YOM: None
SBH: Yuki Yanagita (1), Takuya Kai (2)
Attendance: 19,679
Boxscore

In the top of first inning in Game 4, Akihiro Wakabayashi hit a leadoff double off of SoftBank starter Tsuyoshi Wada. Hayato Sakamoto followed with a double of his own, driving in Wakabayashi and giving the Giants their first lead of the series. The Hawks quickly took the lead back, however, in the bottom half of the inning when Yuki Yanagita hit a two-run home run off of Giants starter Seishu Hatake. Takuya Kai extended the Hawks' lead in the second inning with a two-out, two-run home run. The home run, Kai's second of the series, resulted in Hatake's removal from the game. Wada, likewise, had a short start for the Hawks, lasting only two innings. Yomiuri reliever Shosei Togo took the mound in the third inning and retired seven of eight batters faced. Yuki Matsumoto replaced Wada in the third and went on to strike out four over 2+2⁄3 innings and earned the win. Neither team allowed a runner past first base from the fifth inning until the ninth inning, when SoftBank closer Yuito Mori allowed a walk and a single with one out. The Giants did not capitalize on their final opportunity, however, as Mori struck out Shunta Tanaka and Yoshiyuki Kamei flied out. [31]

Postgame, Ryoya Kurihara was named the Japan Series Most Valuable Player. The Hawks' win completed their second straight Japan Series sweep of the Giants. The Japan Series title was SoftBank's fourth straight, the first Pacific League team to achieve the feat and the first since the Giants, who won nine straight from 1965 to 1973. Through the end of the series, the Hawks had won their last 12 Japan Series games, their last 16 home games in the Japan Series, and their last 16 postseason games. The Giants' .132 batting average in the series was the lowest in Japan Series history and the loss was their ninth consecutive Japan Series loss, tying the record. [20]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks</span> Japanese baseball team

The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks are a Japanese professional baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. They compete in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) as a member of the Pacific League. Founded on February 22, 1938, as the Nankai Club, being the first Kansai team to play in Osaka proper, the team went through a few name changes before settling on Nankai Hawks in 1947, eventually changing ownership in 1988 and moving to Fukuoka in 1989. The team subsequently became known as the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks until 2005, when they were purchased by SoftBank Group, becoming the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. Since 1993, the Hawks have played at the Fukuoka PayPay Dome, which has gone under several name changes and seats 40,000 people.

The Japan Series, also the Nippon Series, is the annual championship series in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top baseball league in Japan. It is a best-of-seven series between the winning clubs of the league's two circuits, the Central League and the Pacific League, and is played in October or November. The first team to win four games is the overall winner and is declared the Japan Series Champion each year. The Japan Series uses a 2–3–2 format.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kimiyasu Kudō</span> Japanese baseball player and manager

Kimiyasu Kudo is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher and the former manager of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball. Known for his longevity as a player, he holds the NPB records for longest career with 29 seasons played, most consecutive seasons with at least one win with 23 and is the oldest pitcher to strike out 10 batters in a game, doing so at the age of 41 years and 11 months. In his career, he recorded 224 wins, a 3.45 ERA and 2,852 strikeouts. However, despite all his accolades, he is infamously known for having never won the Eiji Sawamura Award, given to Japan's top pitcher.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Japan Series</span>

The 2012 Japan Series was the 63rd edition of Nippon Professional Baseball's (NPB) championship series known colloquially as the Japan Series. The best-of-seven playoff was won by the Central League champion Yomiuri Giants in six games over the Pacific League champion Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. It was the Giants' 22nd Japan Series title, second in the last four years. The series began on Saturday, October 27, 2012 and ended on Saturday, November 3, 2012 at the Tokyo Dome in Bunkyō, Tokyo. Giants starting pitcher Tetsuya Utsumi, who was the winning pitcher in Games 1 and 5, was named the Japan Series Most Valuable Player (MVP). Giants players Shinnosuke Abe, Hisayoshi Chono and John Bowker were also recognized with Outstanding Player awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 Japan Series</span>

The 2013 Japan Series was the 64th edition of Nippon Professional Baseball's (NPB) championship series known colloquially as the Japan Series. The best-of-seven playoff was won by the Pacific League champion Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in seven games over the Central League champion Yomiuri Giants. It was the Eagles' first Japan Series appearance and their first win since the team's creation in 2005. The series began on Saturday, October 26, 2013 and ended on Sunday, November 3, 2013 at the Miyagi Baseball Stadium in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. Eagles' starting pitcher Manabu Mima, who was the winning pitcher in Games 3 and 7, was named the Japan Series Most Valuable Player (MVP). This was also the last Japan Series that Konami would sponsor, as SMBC would take over the naming rights in 2014. As of the 2023 season it has been the last Japan Series that had 7 games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yuki Yanagita</span> Japanese baseball player

Yuki Yanagita, nicknamed "Gita (ギータ)", is a professional Japanese baseball outfielder for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. He is a nine-time All-Star and a two-time Pacific League MVP, earning those honors in 2015 and 2020. Yanagita has won six Japan Series championships with the Hawks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Japan Series</span> 65th edition of Nippon Professional Baseballs championship series

The 2014 Japan Series was the 65th edition of Nippon Professional Baseball's (NPB) championship series known colloquially as the Japan Series. The best-of-seven playoff was won by the Pacific League champion Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in five games over the Central League champion Hanshin Tigers. The series began on Saturday, October 25, 2014 and ended on Thursday, October 30, 2014 at the Fukuoka Dome in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture.

The 2015 Nippon Professional Baseball season was the 66th season since the NPB was reorganized in 1950. In the Central League, the Yakult Swallows claimed the pennant and defeated the Yomiuri Giants in the final stage of the Climax Series. In the Pacific League, the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks won the penant and defeated the Chiba Lotte Marines in the final stage of the Climax Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Japan Series</span>

The 2015 Japan Series was the 66th edition of Nippon Professional Baseball's postseason championship series. The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, champions of the Pacific League, played the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, champions of the Central League. The Hawks were the defending Japan Series champions, having beaten the Hanshin Tigers in 2014. The series was sponsored by the Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) and was officially known as the SMBC Nippon Series 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yurisbel Gracial</span> Cuban baseball player

Yurisbel Gracial Garcia is a Cuban baseball third baseman for the Cocodrilos de Matanzas of the Cuban National Series. He previously played for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liván Moinelo</span> Cuban baseball player

Liván Moinelo Pita is a Cuban professional baseball pitcher for Vegueros de Pinar del Rio in the Cuban National Series. He has played for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in Nippon Professional Baseball since 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Japan Series</span> 68th edition of Nippon Professional Baseballs championship series

The 2017 Japan Series was the championship series of Nippon Professional Baseball's postseason. The 68th edition of the Japan Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of the Pacific League and the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of the Central League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Japan Series</span> 69th edition of Nippon Professional Baseballs championship series

The 2018 Japan Series was the championship series of Nippon Professional Baseball's (NPB) 2018 season. The 69th edition of the Japan Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, the Pacific League's (PL) Climax Series champion and defending Japan Series champions, and the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, the Central League's (CL) Climax Series champion. The Hawks defeated the Carp, 4–1–1, in six games, to win their second consecutive Japan Series championship and their fifth in eight years.

The 2019 Central League Climax Series (CLCS) was a postseason playoff consisting of two consecutive series that determined which of the three teams who finished in the top three during the 2019 regular season would represent the Central League in the Japan Series. The First Stage was a best-of-three series played between the second-place hosts Yokohama DeNA BayStars and the third-place Hanshin Tigers. The series was played between October 5 to 7. The Tigers defeated the Baystars 2–1 and advanced to the Final Stage to face the pennant-winning Yomiuri Giants.

The 2019 Pacific League Climax Series (PLCS) was a post-season Climax Series playoff consisting of two consecutive series that determined which of the three teams who finished in the top three during the 2019 regular season would represent the Pacific League in the Japan Series. The First Stage was a best-of-three series played between the second-place hosts Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and the third-place Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. The series was played between October 5 to 7. The Hawks defeated the Eagles 2–1 and advanced to the Final Stage to face the pennant-winning Saitama Seibu Lions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Japan Series</span> 70th edition of Nippon Professional Baseballs championship series

The 2019 Japan Series was the championship series of Nippon Professional Baseball's (NPB) 2019 season. The 70th edition of the Japan Series, it was played from 19-23 October. The series was a best-of-seven playoff between the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, the Pacific League's (PL) Climax Series champion and defending Japan Series champions, and the Yomiuri Giants, the Central League's (CL) Climax Series champion. The Hawks defeated the Giants in a four game sweep to win their third consecutive Japan Series championship, their fifth title in six years; they are also the first team to win three straight Japan Series titles since the Seibu Lions did it from 1990 to 1992.

The 2020 Pacific League Climax Series (PLCS) was Nippon Professional Baseball's (NPB) playoff series to decide which Pacific League (PL) team would advance to the 2020 Japan Series. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the PL decided to modify the traditional Climax Series format and eliminate the First Stage series to instead only play one modified Final Stage series: a best-of-five series, with the PL champion receiving an automatic one-win advantage over the league's runner-up. The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, the league's champion, competed against runner-up Chiba Lotte Marines to determine who would advance to the 2020 Japan Series. The series was played from November 14 to 15 at Fukuoka PayPay Dome. With the advantage and two consecutive come-from-behind wins, the Hawks advanced past the Marines to the Japan Series and the Hawks' Akira Nakamura was named the series' Most Valuable Player. SoftBank will compete against the Central League's (CL) regular-season champion, the Yomiuri Giants, in the Japan Series. Because of the pandemic, the CL cancelled their Climax Series altogether, instead opting to send their regular-season champion.

The 2021 Pacific League Climax Series (PLCS) was a set of two consecutive playoff series in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). The First Stage began on November 6 and the Final Stage concluded on November 12. The First Stage was a best-of-three series between the second-place Chiba Lotte Marines and the third-place Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. The Final Series was a best-of-six with the Orix Buffaloes, the Pacific League champion, being awarded a one-win advantage against the Marines, the winner of the First Stage. The Buffaloes advanced to the 2021 Japan Series to compete against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, the 2021 Central League Climax Series winner.

The 2021 Central League Climax Series (CLCS) was a set of two consecutive playoff series in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). The First Stage began on November 6 and the Final Stage concluded on November 12. The First Stage was a best-of-three series between the second-place Hanshin Tigers and the third-place Yomiuri Giants. The Final Series was a best-of-six with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, the Central League champion, being awarded a one-win advantage against the Giants, the winner of the First Stage. The Swallows advanced to the 2021 Japan Series to compete against the Orix Buffaloes, the 2021 Pacific League Climax Series winner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Japan Series</span> 72nd edition of the Japan Series

The 2021 Japan Series was the championship series of Nippon Professional Baseball's 2021 season. The 72nd edition of the Japan Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the Orix Buffaloes and Tokyo Yakult Swallows, the winners of the Pacific and Central League's Climax Series, respectively. Both teams were the winners of their respective league's regular season championship.

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Team Quality Balance is calculated as follows: (runs scored/innings played at bat) – (runs allowed/innings played on defense) [21]

Citations

  1. ↑ Nagatsuka, Kaz (June 15, 2020). "Central, Pacific Leagues announce schedules for remainder of season". The Japan Times . Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  2. ↑ Coskrey, Jason (October 28, 2020). "Hawks capture predictable pennant in unpredictable season". The Japan Times . Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  3. ↑ Coskrey, Jason (November 2, 2020). "Marines punch NPB's final postseason ticket". The Japan Times . Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  4. ↑ "2020 Pacific League Standings". Nippon Professional Baseball . Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Hawks rally past Marines, advance to Japan Series". The Japan Times . Kyodo News. November 15, 2020. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Giants wrap up pennant race by winning franchise's 38th Central League crown". The Japan Times . Kyodo News. October 31, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  7. ↑ "2020 Central League Standings". Nippon Professional Baseball . Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  8. 1 2 Odeven, Ed (November 18, 2020). "Hawks, Giants Renew Rivalry in Japan Series". Japan Forward. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  9. ↑ Une, Natsuki (November 16, 2020). "福岡ソフトバンクの前に「日本シリーズ３連覇」の６球団中、さらに連覇を伸ばしたのは１球団だけ" [Ahead of the Fukuoka Softbank, only one of the six teams to win three consecutive Japan Series extended their streak.]. Yahoo! Japan . Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  10. 1 2 Une, Natsuki (November 18, 2020). "日本シリーズ優勝は、セ・リーグ球団とパ・リーグ球団がそれぞれ35回。ただ、近年は…" [Central and Pacific League teams have won the Japan Series 35 times each. However, in recent years...]. Yahoo! Japan . Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  11. ↑ Graczky, Wayne (November 1, 2014). "NPB's quirky playoff rules recipe for confusion". The Japan Times . Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  12. 1 2 Nagatsuka, Kaz (May 25, 2020). "NPB can play ball in Japan from June 19, but minus fans". The Japan Times. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  13. 1 2 "日本シリーズは京セラドーム大阪で開催…東京ドームが都市対抗野球で利用できず" [The Japan Series will be held at Kyocera Dome Osaka... Tokyo Dome will not be available because of the Intercity Baseball Tournament]. Sports Hochi (in Japanese). October 30, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  14. ↑ "「日本シリーズ2020」特別協賛社に株式会社三井住友銀行" [Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation is the special sponsor of the 2020 Japan Series] (in Japanese). Nippon Professional Baseball. September 2, 2020. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  15. ↑ Coskrey, Jason (June 18, 2020). "NPB set to return in altered form amid pandemic". The Japan Times . Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  16. ↑ "延長戦は十回打ち切り　パ・リーグCS" [Extra innings end after 10 - Pacific League CS]. The Nikkei (in Japanese). November 10, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  17. ↑ "ＳＭＢＣ日本シリーズ、京セラドーム大阪で開幕" [SMBC Japan Series opens at Kyocera Dome Osaka]. Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). November 4, 2020. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  18. ↑ "日本シリーズ全戦ＤＨ　ソフトバンク提案に巨人賛成" [Giants agrees to Softbank DH proposal for the entire Japan Series]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). November 19, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  19. 1 2 "日本シリーズ続行不可能ならどうなる？開催要項発表" [What happens if the Japan Series can't continue? Announcement of event guidelines]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). November 4, 2020. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  20. 1 2 Coskrey, Jason (November 26, 2020). "Hawks sweep Giants again to clinch fourth straight Japan Series title". The Japan Times . Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  21. ↑ "Baseball". NBC Olympics. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  22. ↑ "Saturday, November 21, 2020". Nippon Professional Baseball . Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  23. ↑ "Sunday, November 22, 2020". Nippon Professional Baseball . Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  24. ↑ "Tuesday, November 24, 2020". Nippon Professional Baseball . Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  25. ↑ "Wednesday, November 25, 2020". Nippon Professional Baseball . Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  26. 1 2 3 Coskrey, Jason (November 21, 2020). "Hawks cut Giants down to size in game 1 of Japan Series". The Japan Times . Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  27. 1 2 Coskrey, Jason (November 22, 2020). "Hawks score early, often to crush Giants in game 2 of Japan Series". The Japan Times . Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  28. 1 2 "Hawks overpower Giants to take control of Japan Series". Mainichi Shimbun . Kyodo News. November 22, 2020. Archived from the original on November 22, 2020. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  29. 1 2 3 4 "Hawks close in on 4th straight Japan Series title". Mainichi Shimbun . Kyodo News. November 24, 2020. Archived from the original on December 1, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  30. 1 2 3 Coskrey, Jason (November 24, 2020). "Hawks take no-hitter into ninth in game 3 to move within win of Japan Series title". The Japan Times . Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  31. ↑ "SoftBank Hawks win 4th straight Japan Series championship". Mainichi Shimbun . Kyodo News. November 25, 2020. Archived from the original on November 25, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.