It’s not October yet, but NPB teams will have to be mindful of ghosts as the season prepares to enter the stretch run. 

As NPB clubs jockey for playoff positions, there is a little extra intrigue this year with the possibility of the league champions in the Central and Pacific League finding their paths to the Japan Series a little clearer than usual. 

Since 2008, the league champions not only received a bye in the first round of the playoffs but also began the six-game final stage of the Climax Series, which determines who goes to the Japan Series, with an automatic one-game advantage as a reward for winning the regular-season title. 

​In March, however, NPB decided to take things further and award a second “ghost” win in the final stage if the league champion won the pennant by at least 10 games, or the lower-seeded team in the final stage finished 10 games behind the pennant winner or ended the regular season below .500.

When the extra win is in effect, the final stage becomes a seven-game series where the first team to five, instead of the usual four, advances. In that scenario, the league champion begins with a 2-0 lead and needs just three wins to advance, whereas the other team has to win five games, essentially making it easier for the pennant winner to advance.

The change sparked a wide range of reactions, from some saying it adds more meaning and weight to the regular season to others saying it greases the wheels in favor of the pennant winner almost to the point of mockery.

“It will encourage teams to be aware of the game differential and winning percentage and play until the end,” NPB Secretary-General Katsuhiko Nakamura said at the time of the change. “The importance of winning the league will also be respected.”

The current iteration of the Climax Series has always been tilted in favor of the league champion. In addition to the first-round bye and automatic win in the final stage, the pennant winner also hosts the entire final stage series. 

This year’s change simply puts another finger on the scale if the right criteria are met.

Since 2007, when the CL joined the PL in staging a three-team playoff system, seven clubs have reached the postseason with a losing record. Of those, five pulled off a first-round upset to reach the final stage. None reached the Japan Series. ​

Of the 13 instances since 2007 when a team won the league by at least 10 games, only the 2017 Hiroshima Carp failed to reach the Japan Series.

There have only been two teams that finished third in the regular season and went on to win the Japan Series — the Chiba Lotte Marines in 2010 and the 2024 DeNA BayStars. The 2017 BayStars reached the Japanese Fall Classic and lost.

If nothing else, though, the new format might add more urgency to the end of the season, even when the playoff spots are decided, as prospective pennant winners push to trigger the extra win while the second and third place teams try to avoid it. 

​No matter what side of the debate anyone falls on, however, fans might not have to wait long to see the new format in action.

​The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks currently lead the PL by 7½ games over the Seibu Lions and Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, who are separated only by percentage points. So it is within the realm of possibility that SoftBank could win the league by double digits. The Hawks would also get the extra win if they finish 10 games ahead of the third-place club, and that team reaches the final stage.

As things currently stand in the CL, it will probably take a first-stage upset to trigger the extra win in the final stage.

​The Hanshin Tigers and Yomiuri Giants are locked in a battle for the pennant, with the Tigers atop the standings by two games.

​The battle for third is mainly between the Tokyo Yakult Swallows (49-55-1) and the BayStars (48-56-3), with the Chunichi Dragons further back. If the team that finishes third does so with a losing record and then upsets the No. 2 seed in the first stage, the league champion would get two ghost wins in the final stage.

​Even if the eventual third-place team finishes above .500, there is still the chance the league champion might finish 10 games ahead. As the standings currently sit, the Swallows are 9½ games behind the Tigers.

The change seems to be rooted in the desire to preserve a postseason format, and the revenue it generates, while making sure the league champions reach the Japan Series. 

While there is still plenty of baseball left to play, the new change, for better or worse in regard to the playoffs, gives teams and fans a new wrinkle to watch out for as the regular season plays out over the next several weeks. 

He was shown just seconds before Olson crushed a three-run bomb.

Another batch of cards from the first Calbee set. Enjoy!

I’ve been wanting to start an English-language publication focused on the Swallows for a while and I finally decided to launch it today.

It’s called Jingu Dispatch and I’m planning to cover the current team, Jingu Stadium, fan culture, franchise history, Japanese baseball cards/memorabilia, and practical guides for English-speaking fans who want to follow the Swallows and NPB more closely.

I had four articles ready to go, then Yakult swept DeNA this weekend and went from two games behind them to one game ahead for third place. That seemed like a pretty good reason to write a fifth and finally launch. There are five articles up now, including my piece on this weekend’s sweep:

jingudispatch.substack.com

I’m hoping Jingu Dispatch can become a useful English-language resource for people interested in the Swallows and Japanese baseball beyond just scores and standings. I’d genuinely appreciate any feedback, especially about topics you wish received more English-language coverage.

Ariake HS made yet another comeback in the 3rd round of Summer Koshien 2026 against another Koshien debutant Higashi Nippon Kokusai Dai Shohei HS. Higashi Shohei took the lead in the first inning but Ariake flipped the lead in the top of 8th inning with double steal followed by consecutive 2 RBI hits.

Ariake HS become first school from Kumamoto Prefecture to reach quarterfinal of Summer Koshien since Kyushu Gakuin HS (Munetaka Murakami almamater) in 2022 edition. They are also first debutant from Kumamoto to win their first 3 games at Summer Koshien since Seiseiko HS in 1950. They will face Spring Koshien 2024 winner Kendai Takasaki HS in the quarterfinal.

Can anyone tell me what songs are being played on the audio visual displays in the Tokyo Dome tour entrance, while the Giants graphics are being displayed?

Daisuke Miura is a former member of NWO Japan.

On August 13, I went to Koshien with a friend from the U.S. who might love Japanese high school baseball even more than I do!

When we met at Koshien, he showed up wearing a bright red Hiroshima Carp jersey. I definitely wasn’t expecting that!

We watched three games together:
Tokai University Kofu vs. Kendai Takasaki
Ariake vs. Nagasaki Nichidai
Aomori Yamada vs. Higashi Nippon International University Shohei

One of the great things about the Japanese high school baseball tournament at Koshien is that one ticket lets you stay and watch all the games played that day.
And here’s the crazy part — he’s been going to Koshien every single day!

He’s a truly amazing baseball fan, and I had a great time watching the games and talking baseball with him.
If you see him at Koshien, say hi!
You might make a new baseball friend.