The Yomiuri Giants are a professional baseball team based in Tokyo. Also known as Kyojin, the Giants play in the Central League of Nippon Professional Baseball. The team started play in 1934 as a team of all-stars named the Great Japan Tokyo Baseball Club, which was organized by media mogul Matsutarō Shōriki that toured the United States. In 1936, with the formation of the Japanese Baseball League, the team, now known as the Tokyo Giants, began play. They rebranded to Tokyo Kyojin in 1941 before changing their name to their current form in 1947. The Giants won nine JBL championships from 1936 to 1949.
Since the formation of NPB in 1950, in their 76 seasons, the franchise has won 22 Japan Series championships, the most of any NPB team and 9 more than the second-place Saitama Seibu Lions. They have finished first place in the Central League 39 times and have competed in the Japan Series 36 times. The Giants have played home at Tokyo Dome since 1988.
| W | Number of regular season wins |
|---|---|
| L | Number of regular season losses |
| T | Number of regular season ties |
| GB | Games behind from league's first-place team [a] |
| ROY | Rookie of the Year |
| MVP | Most Valuable Player |
| ESA | Eiji Sawamura Award |
| MSA | Matsutaro Shoriki Award |
| Japan Series Champions (1950–present) † | Japanese Baseball League / Central League Pennant (1950–present) | Central League Regular Season Champions (1950–present) ^ | Climax Series Berth (2007–present) ¤ |
| Season [1] | League | Finish | Wins | Losses | Ties | Win% | GB | Playoffs | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo Giants / Tokyo Kyojin | |||||||||
| 1936 | JBL | [A] | 2 | 5 | 0 | .286 | — | — | |
| Autumn 1936 | JBL | 1st | 18 | 9 | 0 | .667 | — | Won Playoff (Tigers) 2–1 [B] | |
| Spring 1937 | JBL | 1st | 41 | 13 | 2 | .759 | — | [B] | Eiji Sawamura (MVP) |
| Autumn 1937 | JBL | 2nd | 30 | 18 | 0 | .625 | 9.0 | — | |
| Spring 1938 | JBL | 2nd | 24 | 11 | 0 | .686 | 5.0 | — | |
| Autumn 1938 | JBL | 1st | 30 | 9 | 1 | .769 | — | [B] | Haruyasu Nakajima (MVP) |
| 1939 | JBL | 1st | 66 | 26 | 4 | .717 | — | [B] | Victor Starffin (MVP) |
| 1940 | JBL | 1st | 76 | 28 | 0 | .731 | — | [B] | Victor Starffin (MVP) |
| 1941 | JBL | 1st | 62 | 22 | 2 | .738 | — | [B] | Tetsuharu Kawakami (MVP) |
| 1942 | JBL | 1st | 73 | 27 | 5 | .730 | — | [B] | Shigeru Mizuhara (MVP) |
| 1943 | JBL | 1st | 54 | 27 | 3 | .667 | — | [B] | Shosei Go (MVP) |
| 1944 | JBL | 2nd | 19 | 14 | 2 | .576 | 8.0 | — | |
| 1945 | No league play because of World War II | ||||||||
| 1946 | JBL | 2nd | 64 | 39 | 2 | .621 | 1.0 | — | |
| Yomiuri Giants | |||||||||
| 1947 | JBL | 5th | 56 | 59 | 4 | .487 | 22.5 | — | |
| 1948 | JBL | 2nd | 83 | 55 | 2 | .601 | 5.0 | — | |
| 1949 | JBL | 1st | 85 | 48 | 1 | .639 | — | [B] | |
| 1950 | CL | 3rd | 82 | 54 | 4 | .603 | 17.5 | — | |
| 1951 | CL | 1st | 79 | 29 | 6 | .731 | — | Won Japan Series (Hawks) 4–1 | Tetsuharu Kawakami (MVP) |
| 1952 | CL | 1st | 83 | 37 | 0 | .692 | — | Won Japan Series (Hawks) 4–2 | Takehiko Bessho (MVP) |
| 1953 | CL | 1st | 87 | 37 | 1 | .702 | — | Won Japan Series (Hawks) 4–2–1 | |
| 1954 | CL | 2nd | 82 | 47 | 1 | .636 | 5.5 | Takumi Otomo (MVP) | |
| 1955 | CL | 1st | 92 | 37 | 1 | .713 | — | Won Japan Series (Hawks) 4–3 | Tetsuharu Kawakami (MVP) |
| 1956 | CL | 1st | 82 | 44 | 4 | .646 | — | Lost Japan Series (Lions) 4–2 | Takehiko Bessho (MVP) |
| 1957 | CL | 1st | 74 | 53 | 3 | .581 | — | Lost Japan Series (Lions) 4–0–1 | Wally Yonamine (MVP) |
| 1958 | CL | 1st | 77 | 52 | 1 | .596 | — | Lost 1958 Japan Series (Lions) 4–3 | Motoshi Fujita (MVP) |
| 1959 | CL | 1st | 77 | 48 | 5 | .612 | — | Lost 1959 Japan Series (Hawks) 4–0 | Motoshi Fujita (MVP) |
| 1960 | CL | 3rd | 66 | 61 | 3 | .519 | 4.5 | ||
| 1961 | CL | 1st | 71 | 53 | 6 | .569 | — | Won 1961 Japan Series (Hawks) 4–2 | Shigeo Nagashima (MVP) |
| 1962 | CL | 4th | 67 | 63 | 4 | .515 | 8.0 | ||
| 1963 | CL | 1st | 83 | 55 | 2 | .601 | — | Won 1963 Japan Series (Lions) 4–3 | Shigeo Nagashima (MVP) |
| 1964 | CL | 3rd | 71 | 69 | 0 | .507 | 11.0 | Sadaharu Oh (MVP) | |
| 1965 | CL | 1st | 91 | 47 | 2 | .659 | — | Won 1965 Japan Series (Hawks) 4–2 | Sadaharu Oh (MVP) |
| 1966 | CL | 1st | 89 | 41 | 4 | .685 | — | Won 1966 Japan Series (Hawks) 4–2 | Shigeo Nagashima (MVP) |
| 1967 | CL | 1st | 84 | 46 | 4 | .646 | — | Won 1967 Japan Series (Braves) 4–2 | Sadaharu Oh (MVP) |
| 1968 | CL | 1st | 77 | 53 | 4 | .592 | — | Won 1968 Japan Series (Braves) 4–2 | Shigeo Nagashima (MVP) |
| 1969 | CL | 1st | 73 | 51 | 6 | .589 | — | Won 1969 Japan Series (Braves) 4–2 | Sadaharu Oh (MVP) |
| 1970 | CL | 1st | 79 | 47 | 4 | .627 | — | Won 1970 Japan Series (Orions) 4–1 | Sadaharu Oh (MVP) |
| 1971 | CL | 1st | 70 | 52 | 8 | .574 | — | Won 1971 Japan Series (Braves) 4–1 | Shigeo Nagashima (MVP) |
| 1972 | CL | 1st | 74 | 52 | 4 | .587 | — | Won 1972 Japan Series (Braves) 4–1 | Tsuneo Horiuchi (MVP) |
| 1973 | CL | 1st | 66 | 60 | 4 | .524 | — | Won 1973 Japan Series (Hawks) 4–1 | Sadaharu Oh (MVP) |
| 1974 | CL | 2nd | 71 | 50 | 9 | .587 | 0.0 | [C] | Sadaharu Oh (MVP) |
| 1975 | CL | 6th | 47 | 76 | 7 | .382 | 27.0 | ||
| 1976 | CL | 1st | 76 | 45 | 9 | .628 | — | Lost 1976 Japan Series (Braves) 4–3 | Sadaharu Oh (MVP) |
| 1977 | CL | 1st | 80 | 46 | 4 | .635 | — | Lost 1977 Japan Series (Braves) 4–1 | Sadaharu Oh (MVP) |
| 1978 | CL | 2nd | 65 | 49 | 16 | .570 | 3.0 | ||
| 1979 | CL | 5th | 58 | 62 | 10 | .483 | 10.5 | ||
| 1980 | CL | 3rd | 61 | 60 | 9 | .504 | 14.0 | ||
| 1981 | CL | 1st | 73 | 48 | 9 | .603 | — | Won 1981 Japan Series (Fighters) 4–2 | Suguru Egawa (MVP) |
| 1982 | CL | 2nd | 66 | 50 | 14 | .569 | 0.5 | ||
| 1983 | CL | 1st | 72 | 50 | 8 | .590 | — | Lost 1983 Japan Series (Lions) 4–3 | Tatsunori Hara (MVP) |
| 1984 | CL | 3rd | 67 | 54 | 9 | .554 | 8.5 | ||
| 1985 | CL | 3rd | 61 | 60 | 9 | .504 | 12.0 | ||
| 1986 | CL | 2nd | 75 | 48 | 7 | .610 | 0.0 | ||
| 1987 | CL | 1st | 76 | 43 | 11 | .639 | — | Lost 1987 Japan Series (Lions) 4–2 | Kazuhiro Yamakura (MVP) |
| 1988 | CL | 2nd | 68 | 59 | 3 | .535 | 12.0 | ||
| 1989 | CL | 1st | 84 | 44 | 2 | .656 | — | Won Japan Series (Buffaloes) 4–3 | Warren Cromartie (MVP) |
| 1990 | CL | 1st | 88 | 42 | 0 | .677 | — | Lost Japan Series (Lions) 4–0 | Masaki Saito (MVP) |
| 1991 | CL | 4th | 66 | 64 | 0 | .508 | 8.0 | ||
| 1992 | CL | 2nd | 67 | 63 | 0 | .515 | 2.0 | ||
| 1993 | CL | 3rd | 64 | 66 | 1 | .492 | 16.0 | ||
| 1994 | CL | 1st | 70 | 60 | 0 | .538 | — [D] | Won 1994 Japan Series (Lions) 4–2 | Masumi Kuwata (MVP) |
| 1995 | CL | 3rd | 72 | 58 | 1 | .554 | 10.0 | ||
| 1996 | CL | 1st | 77 | 53 | 0 | .592 | — | Lost 1996 Japan Series (BlueWave) 4–1 | Hideki Matsui (MVP) |
| 1997 | CL | 4th | 63 | 72 | 0 | .467 | 20.0 | ||
| 1998 | CL | 3rd | 73 | 62 | 0 | .541 | 6.0 | ||
| 1999 | CL | 2nd | 75 | 60 | 0 | .556 | 6.0 | ||
| 2000 | CL | 1st | 78 | 57 | 0 | .578 | — | Won 2000 Japan Series (Hawks) 4–2 | Hideki Matsui (MVP) |
| 2001 | CL | 2nd | 75 | 63 | 2 | .543 | 3 | ||
| 2002 | CL | 1st | 86 | 52 | 2 | .623 | — | Won 2002 Japan Series (Lions) 4–0 | Hideki Matsui (MVP) |
| 2003 | CL | 3rd | 71 | 66 | 3 | .518 | 15.5 | ||
| 2004 | CL | 3rd | 71 | 64 | 3 | .526 | 8.0 | ||
| 2005 | CL | 5th | 62 | 80 | 4 | .437 | 25.5 | ||
| 2006 | CL | 4th | 65 | 79 | 2 | .451 | 23.5 | ||
| 2007 | CL | 1st | 80 | 63 | 1 | .559 | — | Lost Climax Series Final Stage (Dragons) 3–0 | Michihiro Ogasawara (MVP) |
| 2008 | CL | 1st | 84 | 57 | 3 | .596 | — | Won Climax Series Final Stage (Dragons) 3–1 Lost Japan Series (Lions) 4–3 | Alex Ramírez (MVP) |
| 2009 | CL | 1st | 89 | 46 | 9 | .659 | — | Won Climax Series Final Stage (Dragons) 4–1 Won Japan Series (Fighters) 4–2 | Alex Ramírez (MVP) |
| 2010 | CL | 3rd | 79 | 64 | 1 | .552 | 1.0 | Won Climax Series First Stage (Tigers) 2–0 Lost Climax Series Final Stage (Dragons) 1–4 | |
| 2011 | CL | 3rd | 71 | 62 | 11 | .534 | 3.5 | Lost Climax Series First Stage (Swallows) 2–1 | |
| 2012 | CL | 1st | 86 | 43 | 15 | .667 | — | Won Climax Series Final Stage (Dragons) 4–3 Won Japan Series (Fighters) 4–2 | Shinnosuke Abe (MVP) |
| 2013 | CL | 1st | 84 | 53 | 7 | .613 | — | Won Climax Series Final Stage (Carp) 4–0 Japan Series (Golden Eagles) 4–3 | |
| 2014 | CL | 1st | 82 | 61 | 1 | .573 | — | Lost Climax Series Final Stage (Tigers) 4–1 | Tomoyuki Sugano (MVP) |
| 2015 | CL | 2nd | 75 | 67 | 1 | .528 | 1.5 | Won Climax Series First Stage (Tigers) 2–1 Lost Climax Series Final Stage (Swallows) 4–1 | |
| 2016 | CL | 2nd | 71 | 69 | 3 | .507 | 17.5 | Lost Climax Series First Stage (BayStars) 2–1 | |
| 2017 | CL | 4th | 72 | 68 | 3 | .514 | 16.5 | ||
| 2018 | CL | 3rd | 67 | 71 | 5 | .486 | 13.5 | Won Climax Series First Stage (Swallows) 2–0 Lost Climax Series Final Stage (Carp) 4–0 | |
| 2019 | CL | 1st | 77 | 64 | 2 | .546 | — | Won Climax Series Final Stage (Tigers) 4–1 Lost 2019 Japan Series (Hawks) 4–0 [2] | Hayato Sakamoto (MVP) |
| 2020 | CL [D] | 1st | 67 | 45 | 8 | .598 | — | Lost Japan Series (Hawks) 4–0 [3] | Tomoyuki Sugano (MVP) |
| 2021 | CL | 3rd | 61 | 62 | 20 | .496 | 11.0 | Won Climax Series First Stage (Tigers) 2–0 Lost Climax Series Final Stage (Swallows) 0–3 | |
| 2022 | CL | 4th | 68 | 72 | 3 | .486 | 12.5 | ||
| 2023 | CL | 4th | 71 | 70 | 2 | .504 | 15.5 | ||
| 2024 | CL | 1st | 77 | 59 | 7 | .566 | — | Lost Climax Series Final Stage (Baystars) 4–3 | Tomoyuki Sugano (MVP) |
| 2025 | CL | 3rd | 70 | 69 | 4 | .504 | 15.0 | Lost Climax Series First Stage (BayStars) 2–0 | |
A Records for the 1936 season are not complete. In the inaugural season, a Fall playoff between the top two teams, the Osaka Tigers and the Tokyo Kyojin, was played. The Kyojin won the series two games-to-one to be declared champions.
B For all but the first season of 1936, the JBL did not institute a playoff of any kind. The 1936, 1937, and 1938 seasons were the only seasons in its existance with first and second half champions.
C The Chunichi Dragons prevailed to win the Central League pennant with a record of 70–49–11 (.588) while the Giants had a record of 71–50–9 (.587)
D Both the Giants and Chunichi Dragons were 69–60 before the 130th and final game of the season. In the 1994 Central League tie-breaker game, otherwise known as the "10.8 deciding match", the Giants won 6–3.
E Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, NPB saw both of their leagues modify their playoff format. 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 while the Central League sent the first place team directly to the Japan Series, which in this case was Yomiuri.