Tokyo International News Agency

Masanori Ishikawa, 46, the oldest active left-handed pitcher for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, has announced that he will retire at the end of this season, prompting an outpouring of emotional tributes from baseball fans and professionals alike. Spending his entire 25-year career exclusively with the Swallows, Ishikawa amassed 188 career wins and set an NPB record by recording at least one win for 24 consecutive seasons. Following his announcement, social media was flooded with words of appreciation and praise for the pitcher affectionately known as the "Little Giant." Hailing from Akita Prefecture and standing just 167 cm (5 ft 6 in) tall—unusually short for a professional baseball player—Ishikawa made an immediate impact from his rookie year, relying on pinpoint command and a wide repertoire of breaking balls rather than raw velocity. He joined the team under then-manager Tsutomu Wakamatsu, who was himself known as the "Little Great Hitter," and Ishikawa quickly earn...

In a Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) game between the Chunichi Dragons and the Tokyo Yakult Swallows on August 4, 2026, Yakult's Montell generated massive buzz with his aggressive play on both offense and defense. During the matchup, Montell put on a sensational hitting display, expertly driving outside pitches to launch home runs in two consecutive at-bats. His explosive performance ignited excitement on social media, with fans flooding platforms with enthusiastic comments such as, "He's finally awakened!" and "He deserves a permanent spot in the starting lineup." Montell captured even more attention during the bottom of the eighth inning. When Chunichi's Seiya Hosokawa hit a shallow fly ball to the outfield, Montell charged forward without hesitation and made a full-extension diving attempt. Although the ball popped out of his glove at the last second and was ruled a hit, his unwavering determination and sheer grit won over the crowd. Fans showered ...

On the 26th, the Tokyo Yakult Swallows announced the acquisition of infielder Jo Endo from the Orix Buffaloes through a cash trade. He will wear uniform number 021. Endo's move marks his return to the Central League following a journey from the Hanshin Tigers to Orix. The young player is highly regarded for his hitting ability demonstrated in the farm league, as well as his utility versatility to play both infield and outfield positions. The rare nature of a cash trade involving a developmental player sparked significant buzz among professional baseball fans on social media. Fans reacted with surprise and anticipation, leaving comments such as, "A cash trade for a developmental player is so rare," "I hope he earns a spot on the main roster with Yakult," "So excited to see him back in the Central League," and "Looking forward to seeing him play at Meiji Jingu Stadium!" Expressing his strong determination, Endo stated, "I take this as my l...

On the 28th, the Tokyo Yakult Swallows announced the signing of infielder Leandro Cedeño. The acquisition of the powerhouse slugger—who previously played for the Orix Buffaloes (2023–2024) and the Saitama Seibu Lions (2025), boasting 31 career home runs in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB)—has sparked a wave of surprise and high expectations among fans. The Highly Anticipated Right-Handed Power Hitter Takes Number 98 Cedeño is a right-handed hitter whose primary appeal is his explosive batting power, generated from his imposing physique. He will wear number 98 for Yakult, making him a crucial reinforcement for a team looking to climb back up the Central League standings. Having already proven himself across multiple Pacific League clubs, all eyes are now on how his batting style will translate to the Central League stage. An Intense Battle for First Base and Strategic Lineup Options On social media, this sudden signing has sparked lively debate regarding...

On May 12, at Meiji Jingu Stadium, an unusual scene unfolded during the Tokyo Yakult Swallows vs. Hanshin Tigers game, surprising the professional baseball world. In the top of the 9th inning, with the Swallows trailing by a significant margin, it wasn't a closer or a young prospect who took the mound—it was the team's star first baseman, Jose Osuna. Using a position player to pitch in a blowout game is a tactic that has sparked debate in Japanese professional baseball (NPB) in recent years, but Osuna's appearance sent a wave of excitement through the stadium. Drawing on his experience of pitching twice during his MLB career, Osuna displayed a powerful form on the mound. He clocked a top speed of 141 km/h (approx. 87.6 mph) and successfully induced a 4-6-3 double play, leaving the crowd impressed with his performance. Social media erupted with positive feedback for this surprise move. Fans commented that it "gave those at the stadium something to cheer about despite th...

On May 12, 2026, during a matchup between the Tokyo Yakult Swallows and the Hanshin Tigers at Meiji Jingu Stadium, an extraordinary scene unfolded that left the crowd in a mix of awe and laughter. In the top of the 9th inning, with the Swallows trailing by 10 runs, it wasn't the SoftBank closer Osuna who took the mound, but rather Yakult’s own star slugger, infielder Jose Osuna. The unusual pitching appearance was triggered by an early-game crisis. Swallows starter Yoshimura was forced to leave the game in the first inning after being struck by a line drive from Hanshin’s Teruaki Sato. This emergency exit forced Manager Ikeyama to burn through his relief corps early. Meanwhile, the Tigers' offense exploded, fueled by four home runs—including a grand slam by Morishita—to build a commanding 10-0 lead. With the bullpen completely depleted, the manager turned to the slugger Osuna to eat up the final inning. Despite looking like he was playing catch, Osuna surprised everyone by cloc...

On May 1, 2026, during a matchup against the Yokohama DeNA BayStars at Meiji Jingu Stadium, Tokyo Yakult Swallows outfielder Kazuya Maruyama made Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) history by becoming the 73rd player to hit for the cycle. The Swallows' offense was in full force, racking up 20 hits and 16 runs to secure an overwhelming victory over Yokohama. Maruyama’s historic day began with a fly out to left field, but he followed it up with a relentless barrage of hits. With a double in the seventh inning, he completed the feat, marking the first time a Swallows player has hit for the cycle since Yasutaka Shiomi in 2021—a gap of approximately four years and eight months. Social media was flooded with celebratory messages like "The Jingu Speedster has exploded!" and "Congratulations, Maru-chan," causing "Cycle Hit" to surge to the top of trending topics. The game was dominated by Yakult from the start. The top of the order was particularly lethal, wit...

On May 1st, Tokyo Yakult Swallows outfielder Kazuya Maruyama made history by hitting for the cycle against the Yokohama DeNA BayStars, becoming the 73rd player (and the 78th occurrence) in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) history to achieve the feat. The Swallows' offense was unstoppable, racking up 20 hits and 16 runs in a 16-5 blowout. The victory snapped the team's losing streak and sent the home crowd at Meiji Jingu Stadium into a frenzy. Making his first start of the season as the leadoff hitter and center fielder, Maruyama exceeded all expectations. He began his quest with a home run, followed by a triple and a single, finally completing the historic milestone with a double to left field. This marks the first time a Swallows player has hit for the cycle since Yasutaka Shiomi accomplished the feat in 2021. Maruyama finished the day with an incredible 5-hit performance. The game featured an explosion of the "Yakult Powder Keg" lineup. The top of the order was pa...

Tokyo Yakult Swallows' beloved mascot, Tsubakuro, is set to resume his activities from the Jingu Opening Day game against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp on Tuesday, March 31st, a revelation that has been met with cheers from fans. According to the team's official announcement, Tsubakuro is expected to make a lively appearance on the field, coinciding with the 6:00 PM game start. The announcement of his return was a surprise reveal at the end of the team's "Deployment Ceremony." Fans, initially disappointed by Tsubakuro's absence from the ceremony, erupted in excitement when he finally appeared on camera in the closing moments. Comments such as, "I thought Tsubakuro wouldn't be at the deployment ceremony, but they snuck him in at the very end!" were heard, and social media was flooded with warm messages from eager fans, including "Welcome back, Tsubakuro-kun😭😭" and "Tsubakuro, we've been waiting for you😌 Nice to have you back!"...

Tsubakuro, the beloved team mascot of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, is set to resume activities from the next season. This surprise announcement was made by Manager Ikeyama at the Fan Appreciation Day held on November 23rd. The joyous news was met with loud cheers and applause from the fans gathered at Jingu Stadium, and expressions of delight quickly spread across social media. Tsubakuro's movements had been closely watched since the passing of the staff member who had long been in charge of the mascot in February this year. When Manager Ikeyama revealed at the Fan Appreciation Day, "He'll be back next season," the venue was filled with emotion. This announcement, reported by LiveDoor News and others, was long-awaited news for many fans. Social media was flooded with excited comments such as, "This is the best, jersey number 9 😭 Swallows are the best 😆😆😆😆", "I've been waiting for you, Tsubakuro!", and "Tsubakuro's revival makes me i...

On July 11, 2025, a professional baseball game between the Hanshin Tigers and the Tokyo Yakult Swallows at Koshien Stadium was interrupted by heavy rainfall. As the Hanshin Tigers were trailing in the game, numerous calls for a 'no-game' (match nullification) erupted on social media. On X (formerly Twitter), posts such as 'Please, let another torrential downpour hit... it doesn't look like we're going to score any runs' and 'Why don't they just make it a no-game!?' were frequent. Some even questioned the judgment of the umpire crew and Hanshin Engei (the stadium groundskeeping staff), with humorous pleas like, 'Umpires, run to home plate, face the backstop, raise one hand, and shout 'No game!'' In response to this situation, Yakult fans expressed mixed sentiments: some hoped for a 'no-game' to maintain their winning streak, while others preferred the game to resume, saying, 'So it resumed. This was for the best. If it had ...