The red-hot BayStars languished in the bottom half of the standings for most of the season before making a big turnaround.
The 22-year-old would have joined four others on the NPB no-no list this season.
Yomiuri puts an end to 14-series win streak by Yakult, but still finds itself well back of its crosstown rival.
The 34-year-old outfielder struggled in the major leagues but will be a welcome addition to Hiroshima’s batting order.
"I feel a great responsibility being appointed captain of the Japanese delegation to the Olympics held in our own nation.”
It was Father’s Day, and with tears and cheers, the teams prepared special big-screen family reunions for their foreign teammates.
In these turbulent times, nothing seems certain. But a sense of normalcy returned to Nippon Professional Baseball and this baseball-crazed nation on Friday, aka Opening Day....
