Yokohama DeNa BayStars to challenge Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in 2024 Japan Series
The Fukuoka Softbank Hawks and the Yokohama DeNA BayStars will compete in the 2024 Japan Series. Game one is scheduled for Saturday, October 26, at Yokohama Stadium.
The 2024 Japan Series Schedule
26 October @ Yokohama Stadium - BayStars v Hawks
27 October @ Yokohama Stadium - BayStars v Hawks
29 October @ Mizuho PayPay Dome - Hawks v BayStars
30 October @ Mizuho PayPay Dome - Hawks v BayStars
31 October @ Mizuho PayPay Dome * Hawks v BayStars
2 November @ Yokohama Stadium * BayStars v Hawks
3 November @ Yokohama Stadium * BayStars v Hawks
* if necessary
Fukuoka won the Pacific League and swept the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters in the Climax Series. Their regular-season first-place finish gave them a 1-0 advantage in the best-of-five series, and the Hawks won three straight games (5-2, 7-2, 3-2) in front of sell-out crowds of 40,142 at the Mizuho PayPay Dome.
The Hawks advanced to the Japan Series for the first time since 2020, when they defeated the Yomiuri Giants to claim their fourth consecutive title, the 11th overall for the franchise.
First-year manager Hiroki Kokubo, a former Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) All-Star who helped Japan win bronze at the Barcelona 1992 Olympics, will count on two potential WBSC Premier12 stars: left-hander pitcher Livan Moinelo, an 11-game winner, who is on Cuba's preliminary roster, and third baseman Ryoya Kurihara, a Tokyo 2020 gold medallist, who will represent Japan.
Fukuoka's roster includes former Major League Baseball (MLB) stars Darwinzon Hernandez (Venezuela), Roberto Osuna (Mexico) and Jeter Downs (Colombia).
Yokohama advanced to their first Japan Series since 2017 when they lost against the Hawks, 4-2. The franchise has two Japan Series titles.
The BayStars finished third in the Central League 2024 regular season, thus starting every playoff series down 1-0. They eliminated the defending champions, the Hanshin Tigers, sweeping their way to the Climax Series final with the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants.
They took a 3-1 lead in the series, muting crowds of over 42,000 at the Tokyo Dome. The Giants came back, forcing a seventh game that the BayStars won, 3-2, on Monday, October 21.
Second baseman Shugo Maki (pictured below by the Kyodo News Agency), who helped Japan win the World Baseball Classic 2023, got the tie-breaking hit. Maki will represent Yokohama on Samurai Japan's Premier12 roster together with veteran outfielder Sano Keita, a former Central League batting champion.
Fourth-year manager Daisuke Miura is a former Yokohama star pitcher and helped Japan to bronze at the Athens 2004 Olympics. His lineup relies on former MLB sluggers Tyler Austin and Mike Ford.
