The first travel off-day of the Japan Series is Sawamura Award day, when five former ace pitchers meet to name the most impressive starting pitcher of the season. The committee not only names a winner, but typically explains how today’s pitchers are not as good as pitchers were in their day.
The Japan Series heads to Osaka for Game 3 on Tuesday with Yakult leading Orix 1-0 after Game 2’s tie. The series will see its first lefty starters, Yakult’s Keiji Takahashi, and Orix’s Hiroya Miyagi.
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Yamamoto makes it 2 straight
Yoshinobu Yamamoto was named the winner of the Eiji Sawamura Award after leading the Pacific League with four complete games, two shutouts, 15 wins, a .750 winning percentage, 193 innings, 205 strikeouts and a 1.68 ERA. It was the second straight season he led in those six categories.
Continue reading NPB news: Oct. 24, 2022
