Hello! I’m Evyn. こんにちは！エヴィンです。
The Nippon Professional Baseball League (NPB) or (日本のプロ野球) crowned new champions last week. The Tokyo Yakult Swallows ( 東京 ヤクルトスワローズ) of the Central League (セントラル・リーグ) have won the 2021 Japan Series to earn their 6th title in franchise history after defeating the ORIX Buffaloes in six games. This recent championship gives the Swallows their 3rd championship of the millennium and 2nd since 2015.
The Tokyo (東京) team based out of Shinjuku clinched their 2-1 victory in the top of the 12th inning off a pinch-hit single into left field by infielder and 2015 セントラル・リーグ batting champ, Shingo Kawabata.
The Swallows (73-52-18) ended their regular season with a winning record and in top position in the セントラル・リーグ, while their Japan Series opponent, the ORIX Buffaloes (70-55-18) did the same in the Pacific League (パシフィック・リーグ).
Coincidentally, the Swallows and Buffaloes were the worst teams in 日本のプロ野球 in 2020, both landing the bottom spots in their respective leagues. 2021 proved to be an effective campaign for 2020’s two worst teams as both completed 180’s and made it all the way to the title series.
If you were wondering why earlier in this article three separate numbers were written in the teams’ record it is because in 日本のプロ野球 there are ties. Prior to the beginning of the 2021 season, teams would play up to 12 innings of baseball, if there was no clear winner at the end of 12 innings and if the outcome had not changed, teams would draw and their records would reflect that.
With the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic into 2021, 日本のプロ野球 decide to push back on the number of innings it would take for a draw to occur to 9 instead of the usual 12, this measure inevitably led to significantly more ties across the sport.
Only time will tell if 日本のプロ野球 will continue it’s 9-inning tie game policy; as a 日本のプロ野球 fan I can only hope that the 2022 season will bring back 12-inning games for draws.
English – Japanese Terms:
- Hello – こんにちは
- I’m Evyn – エヴィンです
- Japan – 日本
- Tokyo – 東京
- Month – 月
- Day – 日
- Japanese (In reference to a person)- 日本人
- Central League – セントラル・リーグ
- Pacific League – パシフィック・リーグ
- Japanese/Nippon Professional Baseball – 日本のプロ野球
- Tokyo Yakult Swallows – 東京ヤクルトスワローズ
*I’m no expert in the Japanese language, in fact I’m barely a beginner. I try my best with what I know and with what I can look up. I might make language errors, but it’s all part of the learning process for me as I try to incorporate Japanese into SITB’s articles.
*Stats (some or all) from: MLB/Statcast, Baseball-Reference/Stathead, ESPN, NPB.
**Stats are accurate as of published date.
***Step Into The Box makes every effort to be as accurate as possible. Grammar, spelling and other style errors will be automatically fixed. If a more serious, factual error is unfortunately made, an edit will be added the end of the piece.
