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FuzzyRussianHat · 07-15-2026, 07:45 AM

Several teams were in the mix for the Japan League’s top seed throughout the season. At the all-star break, Yokohama (65-38), Fukuoka (65-39), Kyoto (65-40), and Nagoya (63-41) were the most successful. Sapporo inserted itself into the conversation with a blistering 45-13 post-break record, the best in East Asia Baseball. The four division champions ended up separated by only four wins. Each of those teams stayed in the fight except for the Nightowls, but they still did well enough to secure a wild card.

Yokohama ended up first at 104-58 atop the Capital Division, followed by Sapporo at 103-59 in the North, Kyoto at 101-61 in the Central, and Fukuoka at 100-62 in the West. The Yellow Jackets grew their playoff streak to six seasons, although they had been a wild card the last three seasons. The Swordfish earned a seventh consecutive division title and eighth playoff trip. The Kamikaze secured repeat berths and the Frogs were back after having a five-year playoff streak snapped in 2041.

Sapporo had the best run differential (+222) and most scored (736) in Japan. Yokohama had the fewest runs allowed in EAB at 478. The Yellow Jackets also allowed only 193 walks, the third-fewest in JL history. Their 1.18 BB/9 was second and 11.03 K/9 was third. Nagoya at 95-67 ended up the first wild card to end an 11-year playoff drought. For the #2 spot, Hamamatsu (93-69) edged out Saitama (92-70) and Utsunomiya (89-73).

This was the closest the Chickenhawks had come to missing the playoffs in their ten-year playoff streak. The Sting saw their five-year streak snapped, having won 100+ games in each of those efforts. The 2025 expansion Undertakers notably posted a franchise-best season. The reigning EAB champ Kitakyushu meanwhile missed the cut at 85-77. The Kodiaks went .500 to end the season which ruined their repeat hopes.

Hamamatsu 1B Mitsuru Ishida had an all-time season en route to his fourth Japan League MVP (2036, 37, 39, 42). He won unanimously and became EAB’s first-ever three-time Triple Crown winning hitter. Ishida led in runs (122), hits (226), doubles (39), home runs (60), RBI (136), total bases (455), triple slash (.374/.429/.752), OPS (1.181), wRC+ (235), and WAR (13.0). His homers, total bases, slugging, and WAR each set career bests.

Ishida’s WAR was the sixth-best for an EAB hitter while the OPS ranked 11^th, slugging 14^th, and total bases eighth. Through 11 seasons for the Chickenhawks, the 30-year old righty has 2027 hits, 1109 runs, 356 doubles, 424 homers, 1203 RBI, .345/.402/.638 slash, 1.040 OPS, 206 wRC+, and 95.4 WAR. Ishida also won his eighth Silver Slugger. The 6’8’’ superstar remains under contract through 2045 for Hamamatsu.

Kyoto’s Koichiro Takahashi won a competitive Pitcher of the Year battle with 21 first place votes and 222 points. Hamamatsu’s Atsuo Sugaya was a close second with 16 first place votes and 199 points, while Sapporo’s Tsunemori Tokuda also earned three first place nods. The runners-up tied for the ERA title at 1.84. Yokohama’s Yozo Harada was fourth place despite his 405 strikeouts, the seventh-most in an EAB single-season. His 2.41 ERA missed the top five though.

Takahashi was the wins leader with a 25-5 record. The 27-year old lefty had a 2.05 ERA, 254.2 innings, 344 Ks, 168 ERA+, 66 FIP-, and 7.7 WAR. Takahashi was in his sixth season with the Kamikaze. The stocky pitcher will be a free agent after the 2043 season if Kyoto doesn’t give him an extension.

Fukuoka had the one game bonus as a division champ and bested Fukuoka 2-1 and 8-4 in the first round. Kyoto had the same bonus, but they got swept by their divisional foe Hamamatsu 4-1, 6-1, and 5-2. Sapporo started the divisional round on a 5-2 win over the Chickenhawks. Hamamatsu countered 9-4 on the road, then the Swordfish earned their own 9-4 road win. The Chickenhawks took game four narrowly 4-3, forcing game five back in Sapporo.

A pitcher’s duel saw a lone Hamamatsu run in the second inning, but that lead held until the ninth. Three singles in the ninth allowed the Swordfish to tie the game and force extras. In the 11^th, the Chickenhawks scored four, punctuated by a three-run homer by pinch hitter Masafumi Yama****a. The 5-1 win gave Hamamatsu the upset, earning their second Japan League Championship Series trip in four years. It is the sixth of their ten-year playoff streak. It was the fourth year in a row for Sapporo that they won 100+ games but failed to make the JLCS.

Fukuoka scored three in the 12^th inning for a 4-1 road upset to open against Yokohama. The Yellow Jackets countered 4-1 in regulation, then the Frogs did the same in game three. Yokohama won game four on the road 6-4, then returned home to win the finale 5-0. Fumi Ozeki pitched a three-hit, three-strikeout shutout in the clincher. The Yellow Jackets secured their second JLCS trip in five years, although their pennant drought stretched back to their 2015-16 repeat.

A combined two-hitter pushed Hamamatsu to a 2-0 road win in the opener. Yokohama fended off comeback bids to claim the next two games 3-2 and 4-2. The Chickenhawks closed the home part of the series with 3-1 and 7-1 wins. Back on the road, Hamamatsu clinched in game six on a 5-2 result.

It was the fourth pennant for the Chickenhawks, although they had fallen short in the five years since their historic 2034-36 three-peat. Still, it was a remarkable feat for a franchise still only 18 years old. League MVP Mitsuru Ishida was JLCS MVP going 7-21 with three home runs, six RBI, and four runs. P Toshio Otsuka deserved a mention winning his two starts with a 0.63 ERA and 21 Ks in 14.1 innings.

07-15-2026, 07:45 AM	#2938
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,731	2042 EAB Japan League Several teams were in the mix for the Japan League’s top seed throughout the season. At the all-star break, Yokohama (65-38), Fukuoka (65-39), Kyoto (65-40), and Nagoya (63-41) were the most successful. Sapporo inserted itself into the conversation with a blistering 45-13 post-break record, the best in East Asia Baseball. The four division champions ended up separated by only four wins. Each of those teams stayed in the fight except for the Nightowls, but they still did well enough to secure a wild card. Yokohama ended up first at 104-58 atop the Capital Division, followed by Sapporo at 103-59 in the North, Kyoto at 101-61 in the Central, and Fukuoka at 100-62 in the West. The Yellow Jackets grew their playoff streak to six seasons, although they had been a wild card the last three seasons. The Swordfish earned a seventh consecutive division title and eighth playoff trip. The Kamikaze secured repeat berths and the Frogs were back after having a five-year playoff streak snapped in 2041. Sapporo had the best run differential (+222) and most scored (736) in Japan. Yokohama had the fewest runs allowed in EAB at 478. The Yellow Jackets also allowed only 193 walks, the third-fewest in JL history. Their 1.18 BB/9 was second and 11.03 K/9 was third. Nagoya at 95-67 ended up the first wild card to end an 11-year playoff drought. For the #2 spot, Hamamatsu (93-69) edged out Saitama (92-70) and Utsunomiya (89-73). This was the closest the Chickenhawks had come to missing the playoffs in their ten-year playoff streak. The Sting saw their five-year streak snapped, having won 100+ games in each of those efforts. The 2025 expansion Undertakers notably posted a franchise-best season. The reigning EAB champ Kitakyushu meanwhile missed the cut at 85-77. The Kodiaks went .500 to end the season which ruined their repeat hopes. Hamamatsu 1B Mitsuru Ishida had an all-time season en route to his fourth Japan League MVP (2036, 37, 39, 42). He won unanimously and became EAB’s first-ever three-time Triple Crown winning hitter. Ishida led in runs (122), hits (226), doubles (39), home runs (60), RBI (136), total bases (455), triple slash (.374/.429/.752), OPS (1.181), wRC+ (235), and WAR (13.0). His homers, total bases, slugging, and WAR each set career bests. Ishida’s WAR was the sixth-best for an EAB hitter while the OPS ranked 11^th, slugging 14^th, and total bases eighth. Through 11 seasons for the Chickenhawks, the 30-year old righty has 2027 hits, 1109 runs, 356 doubles, 424 homers, 1203 RBI, .345/.402/.638 slash, 1.040 OPS, 206 wRC+, and 95.4 WAR. Ishida also won his eighth Silver Slugger. The 6’8’’ superstar remains under contract through 2045 for Hamamatsu. Kyoto’s Koichiro Takahashi won a competitive Pitcher of the Year battle with 21 first place votes and 222 points. Hamamatsu’s Atsuo Sugaya was a close second with 16 first place votes and 199 points, while Sapporo’s Tsunemori Tokuda also earned three first place nods. The runners-up tied for the ERA title at 1.84. Yokohama’s Yozo Harada was fourth place despite his 405 strikeouts, the seventh-most in an EAB single-season. His 2.41 ERA missed the top five though. Takahashi was the wins leader with a 25-5 record. The 27-year old lefty had a 2.05 ERA, 254.2 innings, 344 Ks, 168 ERA+, 66 FIP-, and 7.7 WAR. Takahashi was in his sixth season with the Kamikaze. The stocky pitcher will be a free agent after the 2043 season if Kyoto doesn’t give him an extension. Fukuoka had the one game bonus as a division champ and bested Fukuoka 2-1 and 8-4 in the first round. Kyoto had the same bonus, but they got swept by their divisional foe Hamamatsu 4-1, 6-1, and 5-2. Sapporo started the divisional round on a 5-2 win over the Chickenhawks. Hamamatsu countered 9-4 on the road, then the Swordfish earned their own 9-4 road win. The Chickenhawks took game four narrowly 4-3, forcing game five back in Sapporo. A pitcher’s duel saw a lone Hamamatsu run in the second inning, but that lead held until the ninth. Three singles in the ninth allowed the Swordfish to tie the game and force extras. In the 11^th, the Chickenhawks scored four, punctuated by a three-run homer by pinch hitter Masafumi Yama****a. The 5-1 win gave Hamamatsu the upset, earning their second Japan League Championship Series trip in four years. It is the sixth of their ten-year playoff streak. It was the fourth year in a row for Sapporo that they won 100+ games but failed to make the JLCS. Fukuoka scored three in the 12^th inning for a 4-1 road upset to open against Yokohama. The Yellow Jackets countered 4-1 in regulation, then the Frogs did the same in game three. Yokohama won game four on the road 6-4, then returned home to win the finale 5-0. Fumi Ozeki pitched a three-hit, three-strikeout shutout in the clincher. The Yellow Jackets secured their second JLCS trip in five years, although their pennant drought stretched back to their 2015-16 repeat. A combined two-hitter pushed Hamamatsu to a 2-0 road win in the opener. Yokohama fended off comeback bids to claim the next two games 3-2 and 4-2. The Chickenhawks closed the home part of the series with 3-1 and 7-1 wins. Back on the road, Hamamatsu clinched in game six on a 5-2 result. It was the fourth pennant for the Chickenhawks, although they had fallen short in the five years since their historic 2034-36 three-peat. Still, it was a remarkable feat for a franchise still only 18 years old. League MVP Mitsuru Ishida was JLCS MVP going 7-21 with three home runs, six RBI, and four runs. P Toshio Otsuka deserved a mention winning his two starts with a 0.63 ERA and 21 Ks in 14.1 innings. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports The Level Playing Field: Alternate MLB History From 1884-Onward Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)