2020 Nippon Professional Baseball season

The 2020 Nippon Professional Baseball season was the 71st season of professional baseball in Japan since Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) was reorganized in 1950. There were 12 NPB teams, split evenly between the Central League and Pacific League.

This article is about the 2020 Nippon Professional Baseball season only. For information on all of baseball, see 2020 in baseball.
2020 NPB season
LeagueNippon Professional Baseball
SportBaseball
DurationJune 19 – November 25
Number of games120
Number of teams12
Central League Pennant
League championsYomiuri Giants
  Runners-upHanshin Tigers
Season MVPTomoyuki Sugano (Yomiuri)
Pacific League Pennant
League championsFukuoka SoftBank Hawks
  Runners-upChiba Lotte Marines
Season MVPYuki Yanagita (SoftBank)
Climax Series
CL championsN/A
  CL runners-upN/A
PL championsFukuoka SoftBank Hawks
  PL runners-upChiba Lotte Marines
Japan Series
ChampionsFukuoka SoftBank Hawks
  Runners-upYomiuri Giants
Finals MVPRyoya Kurihara (SoftBank)

Season schedule

The 2020 season was originally scheduled to begin on 20 March, with a break from 21 July to 13 August, for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.[1] On 26 February 2020, the league announced that its remaining spring training games would be held without fans in attendance, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan.[2][3] With health related precautions in place, the media was allowed into some ballparks.[4] Following another league meeting on 9 March, commissioner Atsushi Saito stated that the 2020 season would be postponed until April.[5][6] Saito also said that the league aimed to retain a full regular season schedule of 143 games.[7] This announcement marked the first time since 2011 that a Nippon Professional Baseball season was delayed.[8]

On 18 April, the league announced that it would remain delayed indefinitely through the entirety of May, with the 18-game interleague schedule removed to accommodate a 125-game schedule. The delay of the 2020 Olympics meant that the three-week Olympic break would no longer be needed. Therefore, it was removed from the schedule.[9] Before the league began play, the 2020 season was shortened to 120 games, and scheduled to end on 7 November.[10][11] As a result of the condensed schedule, it was also announced that the First Stage of the Pacific League Climax Series would not be played, with the top two teams from the regular season competing in a best-of-5 Final Stage which the regular season winner enters with a one-game advantage. The Central League would do away with its Climax Series entirely, with its regular season winner advancing directly to the 2020 Japan Series.[12]

With the lifting of states of emergency over major Japanese cities, NPB announced that it would begin its regular season on 19 June behind closed doors. "Warm-up" games began 26 May.[13] All twelve NPB teams played on as scheduled on 19 June.[10] On 10 July NPB began allowing a limited number of fans to attend games, with plans to further ease restrictions in the near future.[14] On 19 September, attendance was expanded to a maximum of 20,000 fans per game, or 50% of stadium capacity.[15]

Regular season standings
Central League regular season standings[16]
Pos Team G W L T Pct. GB
1 Yomiuri Giants 12067458.598-
2 Hanshin Tigers 12060537.5317.5
3 Chunichi Dragons 12060555.5228.5
4 Yokohama DeNA BayStars 12056586.49112
5 Hiroshima Toyo Carp 120525612.48113
6 Tokyo Yakult Swallows 120416910.37325
Pacific League regular season standings[17]
Pos Team G W L T Pct. GB
1 Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 12073425.635-
2 Chiba Lotte Marines 12060573.51314
3 Saitama Seibu Lions 12058584.50015.5
4 Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles 12055578.49116.5
5 Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters 12053625.46120
6 Orix Buffaloes 12045687.39827

Climax Series
Main article: 2020 Pacific League Climax Series
Pacific League Climax Series Japan Series
CL1 Yomiuri Giants 0
1 Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 3 PL1 Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 4
2 Chiba Lotte Marines 0

Pacific League

Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks won the series, 3–0.

GameDateScoreLocationTimeAttendance 
1November 14Chiba Lotte Marines – 3, Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks – 4PayPay Dome3:1919,901[18] 
2November 15Chiba Lotte Marines – 4, Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks – 6PayPay Dome3:2719,995[19]

Japan Series
Main article: 2020 Japan Series

Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks won the series, 4–0.

GameDateScoreLocationTimeAttendance 
1November 21Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks – 5, Yomiuri Giants – 1Kyocera Dome Osaka3:3416,489[20] 
2November 22Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks – 13, Yomiuri Giants – 2Kyocera Dome Osaka3:4016,333[21] 
3November 24Yomiuri Giants – 0, Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks – 4PayPay Dome2:5817,297[22] 
4November 25Yomiuri Giants – 1, Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks – 4PayPay Dome3:2219,679[23]

League leaders

Central League

Pacific League

Awards

Regular season
NPB Awards
Central LeaguePacific League
AwardPlayerTeamPlayerTeam
Rookie of the Year Masato MorishitaHiroshima Toyo CarpKaima TairaSaitama Seibu Lions
Most Valuable Player Tomoyuki SuganoYomiuri GiantsYuki YanagitaFukuoka SoftBank Hawks
Eiji Sawamura Award Yūdai ŌnoChunichi Dragons
Best Relief Pitcher Noboru Shimizu
Daisuke Sobue
Hiroto Fuku		Tokyo Yakult Swallows
Chunichi Dragons
Chunichi Dragons		Liván MoineloFukuoka SoftBank Hawks
Matsutaro Shoriki Award Kimiyasu KudoFukuoka SoftBank Hawks
Best Nine Award
PositionPlayerTeamPlayerTeam
Pitcher Tomoyuki SuganoYomiuri GiantsKodai SengaFukuoka SoftBank Hawks
Catcher Takumi OhshiroYomiuri GiantsTakuya KaiFukuoka SoftBank Hawks
1st Base Munetaka MurakamiTokyo Yakult SwallowsSho NakataHokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters
2nd Base Ryosuke KikuchiHiroshima Toyo CarpHideto AsamuraTohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
3rd Base Kazuma OkamotoYomiuri GiantsDaichi SuzukiTohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
Shortstop Hayato SakamotoYomiuri GiantsSosuke GendaSaitama Seibu Lions
Outfield Yoshihiro MaruYomiuri GiantsMasataka YoshidaOrix Buffaloes
Seiya SuzukiHiroshima Toyo CarpKensuke KondoHokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters
Keita SanoYokohama DeNA BayStarsYuki YanagitaFukuoka SoftBank Hawks
Designated hitter Not applicableTakumi KuriyamaSaitama Seibu Lions
Mitsui Golden Glove Award
Central LeaguePacific League
PositionPlayerTeamPlayerTeam
Pitcher Tomoyuki SuganoYomiuri GiantsKodai SengaFukuoka SoftBank Hawks
Catcher Ryutaro UmenoHanshin TigersTakuya KaiFukuoka SoftBank Hawks
1st Base Dayán ViciedoChunichi DragonsAkira Nakamura
Sho Nakata		Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters
2nd Base Ryosuke KikuchiHiroshima Toyo CarpShuta TonosakiSaitama Seibu Lions
3rd Base Shuhei TakahashiChunichi DragonsDaichi SuzukiTohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
Shortstop Hayato SakamotoYomiuri GiantsSosuke GendaSaitama Seibu Lions
Outfield Seiya SuzukiHiroshima Toyo CarpYuki YanagitaFukuoka SoftBank Hawks
Yōhei ŌshimaChunichi DragonsTaishi OhtaHokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters
Norichika AokiTokyo Yakult SwallowsHaruki NishikawaHokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters

See also

Notes
1.^ The 2020 Central League Climax Series was cancelled. As a result, the regular season champion Yomiuri Giants advanced directly to the Japan Series.

References
  1. "Baseball: Fans asked to abort balloon launches over coronavirus threat". Kyodo News. February 8, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  2. "Japanese pro baseball to restrict spectators from 72 preseason games". Japan Times. Kyodo News. February 26, 2020. Archived from the original on February 27, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2020. Alt URL
  3. Woods, Amanda (February 27, 2020). "Japanese baseball fans barred from preseason games over coronavirus fears". New York Post. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  4. Coskrey, Jason (February 29, 2020). "Giants and Swallows compete without familiar sights and sounds at ballpark". Japan Times. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  5. "Japan's pro baseball league delays season start over coronavirus". Kyodo News. March 9, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  6. "Virus postpones opening of Japanese pro baseball season". Taiwan News. Associated Press. March 9, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  7. Nagatsuka, Kaz (March 9, 2020). "NPB to delay start of regular season due to ongoing COVID-19 outbreak". Japan Times. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
  8. "Start of Japan Pro Baseball Regular Season to Be Delayed". Jiji Press. March 9, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  9. "Japan's baseball league delayed again, no date set for start". ESPN.com. Associated Press. April 18, 2020. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  10. "After three-month virus delay, Japan opens its shortened baseball season". ESPN.com. Associated Press. June 19, 2020. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  11. Nagatsuka, Kaz (May 25, 2020). "NPB can play ball in Japan from June 19, but minus fans". Japan Times. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  12. "2020年度セ・パ公式戦 全試合日程発表". Nippon Professional Baseball. June 15, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  13. Tarrant, Jack (May 25, 2020). "Baseball-Japan's baseball league to start on June 19". National Post. Reuters. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  14. "お待たせ！プロ野球７・１０に６球場一斉観客解禁…上限５０００人". June 23, 2020. Archived from the original on July 21, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  15. "ＮＰＢ １９日にも観客上限緩和へ ２万人、または収容５０％の少ない方（デイリースポーツ） - Yahoo!ニュース". Archived from the original on October 6, 2020. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  16. "2020 Central League Standings". Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  17. "2020 Pacific League Standings". Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  18. "Saturday, November 14, 2020". Nippon Professional Baseball. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  19. "Sunday, November 15, 2020". Nippon Professional Baseball. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  20. "Saturday, November 21, 2020". Nippon Professional Baseball. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  21. "Sunday, November 22, 2020". Nippon Professional Baseball. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  22. "Tuesday, November 24, 2020". Nippon Professional Baseball. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  23. "Wednesday, November 25, 2020". Nippon Professional Baseball. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  24. "2020 Central League Qualifiers for Batting Championship". npb.jp.
  25. "2020 Central League Qualifiers for Earned-Run Average Title & Top Relief Pitchers". npb.jp.
  26. "2020 Pacific League Qualifiers for Batting Championship". npb.jp.
  27. "2020 Pacific League Qualifiers for Earned-Run Average Title & Top Relief Pitchers". npb.jp.
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