Starting in 2027, Nippon Professional Baseball will have the designated hitter in both the Pacific League and the Central League.
The Central League held a board meeting on Monday, August 4 and voted on this issue. It was a unanimous decision (6-0 in favor of adopting the DH).
NPB commissioner Sadayuki Sakakibara called it "a big step forward" for Japanese pro baseball.
"As one of the countries leading the world of baseball alongside MLB, it is important for NPB to adopt a flexible approach to global trends," Sakakibara said in a statement, according to NHK.
"We must constantly pursue what is necessary to further improve the level of baseball in NPB and meet the expectations of our fans. This is why, when I took office as commissioner, I identified 'unifying the rules of the Central and Pacific Leagues' as one of the key issues."
Major League Baseball's American League adopted the DH in 1973 ― two years before the Pacific League did the same thing ― in an attempt to bolster offense.
Pitchers are normally weak hitters. With that in mind, the DH came into existence. AL team owners felt more runs could help boost attendance during an era when NL teams were drawing bigger crowds than their AL counterparts.
The National League maintained tradition for decades, with pitchers also batting. But as part of a collective bargaining agreement in 2022, it was decided that there would be a universal DH in Major League Baseball.
In the World Baseball Classic and Olympic Games, designated hitters are used.
The DH in Japanese Baseball
In Japan, high school and college baseball officials have taken steps to phase out pitchers handling mound work plus batting duties.
The Japan High School Baseball Federation announced on August 1 that starting in 2026 it would have a DH rule.
This was a significant development, according to Hiroshima Carp front-office executive Kiyoaki Suzuki.
"We felt we had to make the decision when the high school federation took the step," Suzuki said, according to The Japan News.
In addition, starting in 2026, every college league in the Japan University Baseball Federation ― there are 27 in total ― will have the DH. The last holdout was the tradition-rich Tokyo Big6 Baseball League, which will make the change next year.
Ohtani Homers for 1,000th MLB Hit
Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Shohei Ohtani is on pace to hit more than 50 home runs for the second straight year.
He belted his 39th homer, a two-run blast in the third inning, against the visiting St Louis Cardinals on Wednesday, August 6.
It was his first home run in nine games, and it was the 1,000th hit of his MLB career.
The Dodgers lost 5-3, a game in which Ohtani was the starting pitcher. He worked four innings on the mound, allowing one run and two hits. Ohtani also struck out a season-best eight batters in his eighth pitching appearance of the 2025 MLB campaign.
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Soccer
Doan Signs Long-Term Deal with Bundesliga Club Frankfurt
Winger Ritsu Doan, who led SC Freiburg with 10 goals in the 2024-25 German Bundesliga campaign, has joined another team in the league.
Doan has finalized a five-year contract with Eintracht Frankfurt, it was announced on Thursday, August 7.
To complete the move from Freiburg to Frankfurt, a transfer fee of €20 million EUR (¥3.4 billion JPY, or $23.2 million USD) was paid.
Doan, 27, began his pro career with the J.League's Gamba Osaka. Since 2017, he's plied his craft in Europe, including from 2022-25 at Freiburg. In addition to his 10 goals this past season, he also had seven assists in 34 Bundesliga matches.
"In the past few years Ritsu Doan has shown his high quality in the Bundesliga and brings a level of skill which will help us to achieve our goals," Frankfurt sporting director Markus Kroesche said in a news release on the team's website.
Doan, who has played in 57 matches (and scored 10 goals) for the Japan men's senior national team, aka the Samurai Blue, has high aspirations upon joining Eintracht.
"I'll do my best to score and make assists to help the team. That's my job," Doan said, according to the team's website.
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Track and Field
Kiryu Runs Under 10 Seconds in 100 Meters for 1st Time Since 2017
Japanese sprinter Yoshihide Kiryu, a three-time Olympian, ran a men's 100-meter race in under 10 seconds for the first time in nearly eight years on Sunday, August 3.
The 29-year-old Kiryu was clocked in 9.99 seconds in the second preliminary heat at the Fuji Hokuroku World Trial meet in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi Prefecture.
"You can't compete on the world stage without a time in the 9-second range," Kiryu was quoted as saying by The Asahi Shimbun. "I'm glad I was able to achieve it again after eight years."
In September 2017, Kiryu established a national record (9.98 seconds) by winning the 100 at the Fukuroi Japanese University Championships in Fukui.
On July 5, at Tokyo's National Stadium, the Shiga Prefecture native won the 100-meter final in 10.23 seconds at the 109th JAAF Track and Field Championships on July 23. With the win, Kiryu clinched a spot on the national team for the 2025 World Athletics Championships (September 13-21) at the same venue.
The men's 100 will be held on the first and second days of the world championships, with qualifying heats on Day 1.
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Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
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