Hanshin vs. Ohtani Tokyo Dome match, exhibition game against LA Dodgers and Chicago Cubs in March next year (Min Chang-ki's Japanese baseball)

Sep 20, 2024

Ohtani, who is looking directly at

Hanshin vs. Ohtani Tokyo Dome match, exhibition game against LA Dodgers and Chicago Cubs in March next year (Min Chang-ki's Japanese baseball)

50-50, is likely to win his third MVP award. AFP Yonhap News

Saiki, who plays the ace of Hanshin this season. He has 12 wins, the most in his team. Saiki hit a home run by Ohtani in a warm-up match against the Japanese national team last year. Photo capture = Hanshin Tigers SNS

Imana recorded his most 11 strikeouts in a game against Oakland on the 17th. AFP Yonhap News

The Hanshin Tigers, which have the largest number of spectators this season, will face Shohei Ohtani, who is on the verge of achieving '50 (homer)-50 (run)' for the first time in the Major League. In early March next year, it will be at Tokyo Dome, not Hanshin's home stadium Koshien Stadium. Japanese sports magazine Daily Sports reported on the 19th that Hanshin will play an exhibition game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Ohtani's team, and the Chicago Cubs, where Shota Imanaga (30) plays.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs, which are members of the National League, are scheduled to play the opening two consecutive games at Tokyo Dome on March 18-19, 2025. Prior to the Tokyo Series, the team will make a final check on Hanshin. Other teams, such as the Yomiuri Giants, are also being discussed, but there was talk of Hanshin first.

Major League Baseball is making efforts to expand its market in East Asia. Following this year's Seoul Series, the opening series will be held in Asia for the second consecutive year. In March, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres held two consecutive games of the Seoul Series at Gocheok Dome. Kiwoom Heroes and LG Twins played special matches with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego, respectively, prior to the series.

It is a dream match for Hanshin fans.

The two teams have the best Japanese players playing as the main force. Last winter, Ohtani moved to the LA Dodgers and is active as a batter, and Yamamoto Yoshinobu (26), who won the Sawamura Award for the third consecutive year, joined the team. Imana, the No. 1 strikeout in the Japanese professional baseball league last year, wore a Chicago Cubs uniform. Seiya Suzuki, 30, a fellow member of Ohtani's pro team, is in his third season with the Chicago Cubs.

All four players perform brilliantly for their reputation.

Needless to explain 'Superstar' Ohtani sprints toward '50-50' that no one has ever seen. As of the 18th, he has two home runs and one stolen base left until '50-50'. This year, he will win his third MVP award while playing only as a batter. He rose to the top position twice in the Los Angeles Angels of the American League, and this year is the National League.

Yamamoto settled in an unfamiliar league. Although the injury gap is a little disappointing, he started 16 games and recorded 6 wins and 2 losses with a 2.63 ERA. He played 82 innings until the game against the Atlanta Braves on the 17th. In the two games he played after returning from injury, he pitched eight innings of one run (unearned).

Left-hander Imana pitched in 28 games in his first year in the big league, recording 14 wins and 3 losses with a 3.03 ERA. From the game against the Miami Marlins on August 25 to the 17th, Oakland A's

Yamamoto pitched eight innings and one run in two games back from injury. Yonhap News

Morissita, who became the center hitter in his second year of joining the club. He ranks third in the Central League with 70 RBIs. Photo capture = Hanshin Tigers SNS

Hanshin, the winner of last year's Japan Series, has the highest number of spectators in Japanese professional baseball this year. As of the 19th, he is in second place in the Central League and is set for the fall baseball season. Photo capture = Hanshin Tigers SNS

He had five consecutive quality starts (more than six innings as a starter, less than three earned runs) and won five consecutive games until the game against the Sletics. He is a strong candidate for the Rookie of the Year award in the National League, which has already completed 162 innings.

Imanaga struck out 170 in 166 ⅓ innings. On the 17th, he recorded 11 strikeouts, his most in a game, against Oakland.

Suzuki, who is playing as the third hitter, hit 20 home runs for the second consecutive year. He had a batting average of 278-136 hits-68 RBIs-OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.834 in 125 games until the game against Oakland on the 19th.

Ohtani played for the Nippon Ham Fighters in the Japanese professional baseball league, Yamamoto played for the Orix Buffaloes, Imanaga for the Yokohama BayStars, and Suzuki for the Hiroshima Carp before moving to the bigger stage.

Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Imanaga are the main players in Japan's World Baseball Classic (WBC) victory held in March last year. Suzuki resigned due to injury ahead of joining the national team.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are ranked first in the National League West and the Chicago Cubs are ranked second in the Central Division.

Hanshin won the Central League and Japan Series last year. Autumn baseball is on the horizon again this year. As of the 19th, he is in second place, two games behind the No. 1 Yomiuri Giants. If he gets on a good track in the remaining nine games, he can also seek to win the league for the second consecutive year.

Suzuki, who plays the center hitter for the Chicago Cubs. He hit 20 home runs for the second consecutive year. AP Yonhap News

Hanshin played several warm-up matches with Major League teams. In March 2004, when manager Akinobu Okada was the first to lead the team, he faced the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees who visited Japan. He played against the Boston Red Sox, Oakland in March 2008, and the Seattle Mariners and Oakland in March 2012.

huelva@sportschosun.com