NPB NOTEBOOK | BayStars' Shugo Maki Plays a Key Role for the Reigning Champs

Every championship team needs a player like Shugo Maki.

The Yokohama DeNA BayStars infielder was a big contributor to his team's Japan Series triumph in 2024 and is chipping in again this year in a big way.

After a bit of a slow start, the BayStars turned it up a notch in May and headed into June in second place in the Central League standings, just 2½ games behind the front-running Hanshin Tigers. (Check out the updated standings on the NPB website.)

Maki has been on fire of late and as of June 2, led the league with a .305 batting average, was second in RBIs with 36 and was second in homers with 10.

*Shugo Maki delivers a two-run double in the fifth inning against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows on May 18 at Jingu Stadium. (KYODO)*

His defensive skills at second base are among the best in the league.

But it's not just his stats. Maki is a pure leader and you can tell by the way he interacts with his teammates that they look up to him.

"He is clearly committed to doing what is best for the team," Yokohama manager Daisuke Miura said. "He brings a sense of stability to our lineup."

You can't underestimate such contributions.

Shugo Maki Has Impressive Credentials

The 27-year-old native of Nagano Prefecture was a member of Japan's championship team at the 2023 World Baseball Classic and is almost certain to be a member in 2026 when Japan will bid for a record fourth title.

A three-time NPB All-Star and two-time Best Nine Award winner, Maki was selected in the second round of Japan's 2020 professional baseball draft.

The BayStars had a brief power outage at the end of May when they were shut out in three straight games from May 25-28.

During this stretch they lost 3-0 to the Hiroshima Carp before back-to-back 1-0 losses to Hanshin.

They finally broke out of their slump on May 29 with a 5-1 win over Hanshin, a game in which Maki hit his eighth homer of the season.

On the positive side, the team got some stellar pitching during these games.

Strong Starting Pitching for the BayStars

On May 27, Trevor Bauer went eight scoreless innings while striking out 12 batters and giving up just four hits and three walks in a no-decision for the former Cy Young Award winner.

The next night, Anthony Kay gave up one run on five hits while striking out five over six innings to end up as the hard-luck loser against the Tigers.

This season, Kay, Bauer and Andre Jackson have been three outstanding starters for Miura.

Kay is 4-2 with 44 strikeouts and a 1.15 ERA, and Jackson is 5-1 with 50 strikeouts and a 1.27 ERA. Bauer, who deserves a better record, is 3-3 with 60 strikeouts and a 3.30 ERA.

Kay and Jackson are first and third, respectively, among ERA leaders in the Central League as of June 2.

*Luke Voit in a March 2024 file photo. (D. Benjamin Miller/CCO 1.0/via WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)*

Eagles Get a Boost From Voit

On the eve of their interleague showdown with the BayStars, the struggling Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles acquired former New York Yankees standout Luke Voit, according to Sports Nippon.

The Eagles are in fifth place in the Pacific League with a 23-26-1 record, six games back of the front-running Hokkaido Nipponham Fighters.

The acquisition of Voit should give them some much-needed pop in their lineup.

In the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, Voit led the American League in home runs (22).

Voit spent the 2024 season in Mexico where he hit 23 homers and had 57 RBIs for Olmecas de Tabasco. At 34, his big league career is likely over but he could be a nice fit for the Eagles as they bid to stay in contention.

*Hokkaido Nipponham Fighters slugger Franmil Reyes belts a walk-off home run in the ninth inning against the Chiba Lotte Marines on June 1 at Es Con Field Hokkaido. (©SANKEI)*

Fighters Off to a Hot Start

The Hokkaido Nipponham Fighters are off to a strong start through the first two-plus months of the NPB season.

Heading into June, Tsuyoshi Shinjo's team held a 2½-game lead over the Orix Buffaloes atop the Pacific League standings.

Shinjo's team showed steady signs of progress last season. So it's not a total surprise that the Fighters are doing well.

One of the team leaders is Dominican outfielder Franmil Reyes, who is off to a hot start.

The fan favorite has a league-leading 28 RBIs and 11 homers on June 2. He is well on pace to match or surpass his 2024 totals of 25 homers and 65 RBIs.

On the mound, veteran Hiromi Ito leads the way with a 6-2 record, 66 strikeouts and a 2.38 ERA.

*Fighters right-hander Ruei-Yang Gu Lin pitches against the visiting Hanshin Tigers on June 3. (©SANKEI)*

Taiwanese standout pitcher Ruei-Yang Gu Lin, who had a 31-15 record over six seasons in the CPBL, seems to have made a smooth transition to NPB.

Gu Lin has two wins and one loss in four starts this season along with 31 strikeouts and a 2.93 ERA.

Kudos to Kudo for Teaching Kids

Former star pitcher and Japan Series-winning manager Kimiyasu Kudo is taking his baseball knowledge on the road.

The standout former pro has been teaching kids in Indonesia how to play the game.

Kudo recorded 224 wins as a pitcher for the Seibu Lions, Fukuoka Daiei Hawks, Yomiuri Giants and Yokohama BayStars in a stellar career that spanned almost three decades.

He also managed the Hawks to five Japan Series titles between 2015 and 2020.

Kudo mentored about 100 Indonesian junior high school students at a clinic in Jakarta in May.

Soccer is the most popular sport in the Southeast Asian country, but Kudo is hoping baseball will catch on there.

"I hope more Indonesian children play baseball," Kudo said in a recent interview with NHK. "I want people around the world to know how wonderful this sport can be."