2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series

The 2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series was the twelfth edition of the MLB Japan All-Star Series, a best-of-six series between an All-Star team from Major League Baseball (MLB) and for the second time in series history, the Japanese national team, Samurai Japan won. The manager of Samurai Japan saw in this championship a big opportunity for Japan to gain momentum for the 2020 Olympics.[1]

2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series

Format	Best-of-6 series plus 2 exhibition games
Dates	November 8–15, 2018
Locations	Japan (Tokyo, Hiroshima, Nagoya)
Teams	MLB All-Stars Samurai Japan For exhibition purposes NPB Yomiuri Giants Chinese Taipei
Result	Samurai Japan wins 5–1–0

History

On May 1, 2018, MLB announced that it would send an all-star team to tour Japan after the end of the current season, with six games scheduled against a select Nippon Professional Baseball squad from November 9 to 15.[2]

On August 20, 2018, Samurai Japan announced that held one exhibition game against Chinese Taipei[3] and five coaches and six selected players.[4]

On September 10, 2018, Major League Baseball Players Association and MLB announced the first eight selected MLB players.[5]

On October 9, Tomoyuki Sugano canceled his participation for Samurai Japan.[6]

On October 10, Samurai Japan announced all selected 28 players.[7]

On October 15, Chinese Taipei announced all selected 24 players.[8]

On October 18, 2018, Katsuki Azuma canceled his participation for Samurai Japan.[9]

On October 26, 2018, Taichi Ishiyama and Yoshitomo Tsutsugo canceled their participation for Samurai Japan.[10]

On October 29, 2018, Christian Yelich canceled his participation for MLB,[11] Roster rules changed 28 to 29,[12] announced all selected MLB players,[13] and Chen Chong-You and Jerry Wu canceled their participation for Chinese Taipei.[14]

On November 1, 2018, Takahiro Matsunaga canceled his participation for Samurai Japan.[15]

On November 2, 2018, Shuta Ishikawa canceled his participation for Samurai Japan,[16] and Che-hsuan Lin canceled his participation for Chinese Taipei.[17]

On November 5, 2018, Lai Hung-Cheng canceled his participation for Chinese Taipei.[18]

On November 16, 2018, Yomiuri Giants announced all selected players.[19]

For the first time, the MLB All-Star team stopped in Hawai'i en route to the Japan All-Star series. The 28 player team batted in two workout games in front of fans at Les Murakami Stadium on November 3 & 4, 2018.[20]

Results

Exhibition

Game	Date / Time (JST)	Home Team	Score	Away Team	Duration	Location	Ref
1	November 7	Samurai Japan	5–6	Chinese Taipei		Fukuoka Dome
2	November 8 / 6pm	MLB All-Stars	9–6	Yomiuri Giants		Tokyo Dome

Championship

Game	Date / Time (JST)	Home Team	Score	Away Team	Duration	Location	Ref
1	November 9 / 6pm	Samurai Japan	7–6	MLB All-Stars	3:29	Tokyo Dome	[21]
2	November 10 / 6.30pm	MLB All-Stars	6–12	Samurai Japan	3:19	Tokyo Dome	[22]
3	November 11 / 7pm	Samurai Japan	3–7	MLB All-Stars	2:59	Tokyo Dome	[23]
4	November 13 / 6.30pm	MLB All-Stars	3–5	Samurai Japan	3:27	Mazda Zoom-Zoom Stadium Hiroshima	[24]
5	November 14 / 7pm	Samurai Japan	6–5	MLB All-Stars	3:13	Nagoya Dome	[25]
6	November 15 / 6pm	Samurai Japan	4–1	MLB All-Stars	3:07	Nagoya Dome	[26]

Rosters

MLB All-Stars roster
Active roster				Coaches/Other
Pitchers 35 Matt Andriese (ARI) 58 Scott Barlow (KC) 60 John Brebbia (STL) 41 Junior Guerra (MIL) 61 Brian Johnson (BOS) 18 Kenta Maeda (LAD) 31 Chris Martin (TEX) 31 Collin McHugh (HOU) 44 Daniel Norris (DET) 38 Vidal Nuño (TB) 61 Dan Otero (CLE) 36 Yusmeiro Petit (OAK) 31 Erasmo Ramírez (SEA) 76 Héctor Velázquez (BOS) 39 Kirby Yates (SD)		Catchers  4 Yadier Molina (STL) 14 Robinson Chirinos (FA) 11 J.T. Realmuto (MIA) Infielders 15 Whit Merrifield (KC) 41 Carlos Santana (PHI)  7 Eugenio Suárez (CIN)  3 Chris Taylor (LAD)  1 Amed Rosario (NYM) Outfielders 13 Ronald Acuña Jr. (ATL) 17 Mitch Haniger (SEA) 14 Enrique Hernández (LAD) 17 Rhys Hoskins (PHI) 11 Kevin Pillar (TOR) 22 Juan Soto (WAS)		Manager  8 Don Mattingly (MIA) Coaches 35 Henry Blanco (WAS) 33 Fredi González (MIA) 11 Edgar Martínez (SEA) 55 Hideki Matsui (NYY) 31 Hensley Meulens (SF) 56 Brent Strom (HOU)

Samurai Japan roster
Active roster				Coaches/Other
Pitchers 11 Takayuki Kishi 14 Daichi Osera 15 Naoyuki Uwasawa 16 Nao Higashihama 17 Akitake Okada 18 Shinsaburō Tawata 19 Yasuaki Yamasaki 21 Yuta Iwasada 24 Yuki Matsui 25 Yu Sato 26 Haruhiro Hamaguchi 28 Rei Takahashi 41 Kakeru Narita 47 Shotaro Kasahara 53 Yūhei Takanashi		Catchers 10 Tomoya Mori 27 Tsubasa Aizawa 62 Takuya Kai Infielders  1 Tetsuto Yamada  2 Kosuke Tanaka  4 Ryosuke Kikuchi  5 Shuta Tonosaki  6 Sōsuke Genda  8 Kazuma Okamoto 33 Hotaka Yamakawa Outfielders  7 Kazuki Tanaka 22 Yuki Yanagita 51 Seiji Uebayashi 55 Shogo Akiyama		Manager 80 Atsunori Inaba Coaches 87 Masaji Shimizu 84 Yoshinori Murata 82 Hirokazu Ibata 88 Makoto Kaneko 81 Yoshinori Tateyama

Chinese Taipei roster
Active roster				Coaches/Other
Pitchers 12 Chen Yun-wen 15 Jyu Jyun-Shan 16 Jyan Chen-Yen 17 Lin Twu-Wei 19 Cheng Kai-wen 21 Yu-Hsun Chen 37 Chu Hao-Jyun 45 Si Tzu-Chen 69 Huang Tzu-Pong 77 Wu Cheng-Che		Catchers 11 Lin Hung-yu 26 Huang Jyung-Shong 31 Ling Young-Lang Infielders  5 Kuo Fu-Lin  7 Kuo Yong-Wei  9 Oh Wei-Chung 14 Wang Seng-wei 29 Chen Chun-Hsiu 36 Yu Te-Lung 51 Yu Meng-Kui 85 Chu Yu-Hsien Outfielders 10 Chen Zi-Hao 24 Chen Chieh-Hsien 55 Pan Wu-hsiung 88 Lang Ing-Lung		Manager 53 Huang Kan-lin Coaches 76 Lin Ming-hsien 75 Chuan Chin-Her 81 Cheng Po-jen 34 Lin Cheng-feng 22 Lau Ka-ho 92 Lau Yui-chun

Yomiuri Giants roster
Active roster				Coaches/Other
Pitchers 29 Takuya Kuwahara 30 Ryosuke Miyaguni 35 Toshiki Sakurai 50 Chiaki Tone 53 Hohsei Takata 57 Kyosuke Takagi 64 Ryusei Ohe 90 Kazuto Taguchi		Catchers 22 Seiji Kobayashi 27 Shingo Usami 38 Yukinori Kishida 46 Takumi Ohshiro Infielders  0 Naoki Yoshikawa  6 Hayato Sakamoto 10 Shinnosuke Abe 52 Takumi Kitamura 56 Yasuhiro Yamamoto 60 Akihiro Wakabayashi 63 Shunta Tanaka 68 Daiki Yoshikawa 98 Daiki Masuda Outfielders  2 Dai-Kang Yang  7 Hisayoshi Chōno  9 Yoshiyuki Kamei 43 Shinnosuke Shigenobu 49 Shingo Ishikawa 58 Soichiro Tateoka 59 Seiya Matsubara 67 Ren Wada		Manager 83 Tatsunori Hara Coaches 87 Sadaaki Yoshimura 81 Kazutomo Miyamoto 71 Katsuhito Mizuno 77 Daisuke Motoki 79 Ryoji Aikawa 91 Ikuo Anafuki 74 Tatsuhiko Kinjō

Live broadcasting

• TV Asahi, Nippon Television, Fuji TV, TBS, BS-TBS (Japan)[27]
• MLB Network (US & Canada)

References

1. "侍ジャパントップチーム稲葉篤紀監督 2018日米野球出場コメント". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). May 2, 2018. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
2. "Major League Baseball returns to Japan in 2018 and 2019". MLB.com. May 1, 2018. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
3. "ENEOS 侍ジャパンシリーズ2018の開催が決定 11月にチャイニーズ・タイペイと対戦". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). August 20, 2018. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
4. "「2018日米野球」出場選手6名、コーチングスタッフが決定". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). August 20, 2018. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
5. "Eight Players Selected for Japan All-Star Series". The Official Site of Major League Baseball Players Association. September 10, 2018. Archived from the original on September 12, 2018. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
6. "巨人菅野が日米野球を辞退　コンディションを考慮し出場辞退". Full-Count (in Japanese). October 9, 2018. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
7. "「2018日米野球」に出場する侍ジャパントップチーム選手全28名が決定". 野球日本代表　侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). October 10, 2018. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
8. "台日交流賽名單公布 中職好手征戰日本福岡". 中華職棒大聯盟全球資訊網 The Official Site of CPBL (in Chinese). October 15, 2018. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
9. "「ENEOS侍ジャパンシリーズ2018」ならびに「2018日米野球」に出場するトップチームの出場選手の変更について". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). October 18, 2018. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
10. "「ENEOS侍ジャパンシリーズ2018」ならびに「2018日米野球」に出場するトップチームの出場選手の変更について". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). October 26, 2018. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
11. "2018日米野球 MLBオールスターチーム出場予定選手の辞退について". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). October 29, 2018. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
12. "2018日米野球 ベンチ入り選手人数の変更および追加出場予定選手発表". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). October 29, 2018. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
13. "2018日米野球 MLBオールスターチーム コーチ・出場予定選手発表". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). October 29, 2018. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
14. "ENEOS 侍ジャパンシリーズ2018」チャイニーズ・タイペイ代表選手 出場選手変更について". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). October 29, 2018. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
15. "「ENEOS侍ジャパンシリーズ2018」ならびに「2018日米野球」に出場するトップチームの出場選手の変更について". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). November 1, 2018. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
16. "「ENEOS侍ジャパンシリーズ2018」ならびに「2018日米野球」に出場するトップチームの出場選手の変更について". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). November 2, 2018. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
17. "「ENEOS侍ジャパンシリーズ2018」チャイニーズ・タイペイ代表選手 出場選手変更について". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). November 2, 2018. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
18. "「ENEOS侍ジャパンシリーズ2018」チャイニーズ・タイペイ代表選手 出場選手変更について". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). November 5, 2018. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
19. "8日の「2018日米野球」参加メンバー決まる". 読売巨人軍公式WEBサイト (in Japanese). November 16, 2018. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
20. "How You Can Watch Major League All-Stars in Action in Hawai'i". October 4, 2018. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
21. "MLB All-Stars v.s. Samurai Japan (Game 1)".
22. "Samurai Jpn. 12, MLB All-Stars 6".
23. "MLB All-Stars v.s. Samurai Japan (Game 3)".
24. "MLB All-Stars v.s. Samurai Japan (Game 4)".
25. "MLB All-Stars v.s. Samurai Japan (Game 5)".
26. "MLB All-Stars v.s. Samurai Japan (Game 6)".
27. "BROADCUST 放送予定". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese).

External links

• "2018 日米野球 特設サイト". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese).