Baseball: Japan's Central League to adopt DH in 2027
The CL's six clubs made the decision at a board meeting in Tokyo. The Pacific League has used the DH since 1975, two years after the rule was adopted by the American League of Major League Baseball.
"It's important to take a flexible approach to global trends," said NPB's commissioner Sadayuki Sakakibara, a former chairman of the Japan Business Federation, known as Keidanren. "I believe the CL's decision to try a new style of baseball is a major step toward NPB's future."
The DH is the player in the lineup who bats in place of the pitcher but does not play a defensive position.
The DH is in use in countries such as the United States and South Korea as well as the World Baseball Classic and other international events.
The CL is among a limited number of leagues that have not adopted the DH rule. In Japan, the governing bodies of college and high school baseball have decided to introduce the DH next year.
"I'm sure fans will enjoy the game more," said former slugger Takeshi Yamasaki, who played in both leagues and filled the DH role while in the PL. "The way runs are scored will change. Baseball is pretty much about hitting."
"By having the DH, the Pacific League saw the level of pitchers and their velocity go up."
Some pitchers will miss having at-bats, while many others have welcomed the CL's decision, saying pitchers can concentrate more on pitching.
"I love hitting," Rakuten Eagles left-handed pitcher Masaru Fujii said. "I've looked forward to stepping up to the plate in interleague games every year."
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Japan Times
4 hours ago
- Japan Times
Central League votes to adopt designated hitter rule from 2027
The Central League will adopt the designated hitter rule in 2027, it announced Monday night, ending the practice of pitchers hitting and bringing the league in line with the Pacific League and most of the world after decades of resistance. The six CL clubs voted unanimously in favor of the change during a board meeting in Tokyo. The change means NPB's two leagues will operate under the same set of rules for the first time since the PL adopted the DH in 1975. Currently, the DH is only in effect during PL games and when interleague and Japan Series contests are hosted in PL parks. The CL is one of the few leagues around the world where pitchers still hit. The system was first introduced by the American League in MLB in 1973 as a way to drive up offense and attendance. The National League, similar to the CL, held out for decades — with the exception of a temporary adoption during the 2020 season as part of COVID-19 protocols — before MLB introduced a universal DH rule in 2022. Over the years, the PL and leagues in South Korea, Taiwan and many other countries adopted the DH system. The DH is also used during the World Baseball Classic, the Premier12 and other international competitions. In Japan, the collegiate Tokyo Big6 Baseball League will introduce the DH next spring, as will its counterpart in Kansai and the Japan High School Baseball Federation. 'As one of the world's leading baseball nations, along with MLB, it is important for NPB to have a flexible approach to global trends,' NPB Commissioner Sadayuki Sakakibara said in a statement on Monday. Some in the CL had been calling for the league to introduce the DH for years. Former Yomiuri Giants manager Tatsunori Hara has been a very vocal proponent. After his team was swept by the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in the 2019 Japan Series, he said the DH contributed to the relative strength of the PL and had greatly aided the development of Pa League pitchers. The CL decision mostly ends what had been a heated debate between traditionalists who prefer the game without the DH and those in favor of the system. The argument against the DH often centers around strategy — the in-game chess match of double switches, pinch hitters and more that can occur late in games. The other main pillar of the argument is that playing without the DH is baseball in its purest form. Eliminating the DH also removes the drama and excitement that comes from a pitcher helping his own cause with an unexpected big hit, like the two-run double the Hiroshima Carp's Shohei Mori hit against the Hanshin Tigers last week. Those in favor of the DH say hits like Mori's are such a rarity that they should not factor into the argument. They feel that fans would rather see more competitive at-bats instead of pitchers striking out and making weak contact more often than not. The DH rule can also help extend careers, proponents say, as players can remain in the lineup regularly without the rigors of playing defense. Pitchers are also able to focus on pitching without needing to work on their batting. The 2026 season will give teams the chance to think about how they will construct their rosters ahead of the change. 'Next season's CL pennant race will be the last one where pitchers bat,' Sakakibara said. 'I hope everyone watches it from that perspective as well.' While the CL acknowledged that a portion of its fanbase may not welcome the change, officials say it helps the game move forward. 'The Central League's decision to adopt the DH system from the 2027 season and take on a new challenge in baseball is a big step forward for NPB as we look toward the future,' Sakakibara said.
Yomiuri Shimbun
9 hours ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Central League to adopt DH from 2027
For the baseball purists who like to see pitchers bat, the last holdout has succumbed to modern times. Japan pro baseball's Central League will adopt the designated hitter starting with the 2027 season, the league decided at its board meeting on Monday, a half-century after the 'position' was first introduced into Japan. The historic move shows the league's acceptance of the global trend, and will influence team strategy while also reducing the burden on players. The designated hitter, who bats in place of the pitcher in the batting lineup, was first introduced by Major League Baseball's American League in 1973. Japan's Pacific League followed suit in 1975, but the Central League resisted make the change, preferring the 'tradition of nine-man baseball' and the subtleties of player usage and other tactical decisions. However, the DH has become the mainstay in recent years, and is used at the World Baseball Classic and the Olympics. It was fully introduced in the major leagues in 2022 when the National League adopted it. Looking at the amateur game in Japan, the nation's top university league — the Tokyo Big6 Baseball League — does not currently use the DH, but has decided to introduce it next spring, meaning that all 27 college leagues under the Japan University Baseball Federation will be in alignment. The Japan High School Federation decided on Friday to adopt the DH next year. At the Central League board meeting on Monday, board members from all six clubs unanimously decided in favor of the DH. Kiyoaki Suzuki, director of the Central League board and the chief of the Hiroshima Carp team office, said at a press conference on Monday that the high school federation's decision had great impact. 'We felt we had to make the decision when the high school federation took the step,' Suzuki said. To give the teams time to adjust their rosters, the DH will start from the 2027 season. The league plans to adopt the so-called 'Ohtani rule' in which a player doubling as the starting pitcher and DH can continue as DH after being taken out from the mound. 'It is a significant step forward [for Japan pro baseball], now that the Central League has made a decision to take up the challenge of the new form of baseball,' Nippon Professional Baseball Commissioner Sadayuki Sakakibara said.
Kyodo News
a day ago
- Kyodo News
Baseball: Japan's Central League to adopt DH in 2027
TOKYO - Nippon Professional Baseball's Central League decided Monday to adopt the designated hitter rule beginning in the 2027 season. The CL's six clubs made the decision at a board meeting in Tokyo. The Pacific League has used the DH since 1975, two years after the rule was adopted by the American League of Major League Baseball. "It's important to take a flexible approach to global trends," said NPB's commissioner Sadayuki Sakakibara, a former chairman of the Japan Business Federation, known as Keidanren. "I believe the CL's decision to try a new style of baseball is a major step toward NPB's future." The DH is the player in the lineup who bats in place of the pitcher but does not play a defensive position. The DH is in use in countries such as the United States and South Korea as well as the World Baseball Classic and other international events. The CL is among a limited number of leagues that have not adopted the DH rule. In Japan, the governing bodies of college and high school baseball have decided to introduce the DH next year. "I'm sure fans will enjoy the game more," said former slugger Takeshi Yamasaki, who played in both leagues and filled the DH role while in the PL. "The way runs are scored will change. Baseball is pretty much about hitting." "By having the DH, the Pacific League saw the level of pitchers and their velocity go up." Some pitchers will miss having at-bats, while many others have welcomed the CL's decision, saying pitchers can concentrate more on pitching. "I love hitting," Rakuten Eagles left-handed pitcher Masaru Fujii said. "I've looked forward to stepping up to the plate in interleague games every year."
