SMBC Japan Series 2026 Game 4: Softbank Hawks 4-2 DeNA (28th, Mizuho PayPay)

The Softbank Hawks defeated DeNA with four consecutive wins, shining as Japan Series champions for the 13th time and the second consecutive year. Since Manager Kokubo took office, they have won three consecutive Pacific League titles and two consecutive Japan Series titles starting from 2025. While they show a strength reminiscent of a golden era, the roster has changed between last year and this year, demonstrating that the team continues to evolve.

Comparing last year's and this year's Japan Series, the core players who remain active include fielders Kondo, Kurihara, Yanagita, and Taisei Makihara, and pitchers Moinelo, Uwasawa, and Sugiyama. On the other hand, the lineup has seen the emergence of Masaki, who made a leap forward with 28 Home Runs this season, and Shoji, who is rising to become the regular short stop. Among the pitchers, although they lacked Otsu, who tied for the team lead with 12 wins this season, Haru Matsumoto, 2023 first-round draft pick Yu Maeda, and Go Suzuki have made their breakthroughs.

As a successor to Kai, who moved to The Giants via free agency in the 2024 off-season, Umino has continued to fight hard, but Yamamoto joined via trade in May of this year. The acquisition of the DeNA starting catcher brought depth to the team's strength, as he also showed his presence with the bat, recording a .267 batting average and 6 Home Runs.

This season's slogan is 'All New.' It was born from Manager Kokubo's message to 'break the team down once,' despite having achieved both the league title and the Japan Series championship last season. Before the season, the manager stated, 'By sending the message that we will break things down once, I want to convey that even players who have achieved a certain level of success are not safe, and that we cannot simply do the same things as last year. I am expecting the emergence of new talent and young players.' Exactly as Manager Kokubo envisioned, he has built a winning team that is different from last year's by incorporating new strength.

Basic Lineup for 2025

1 (left) Yanagida

2 (Central) Shuto

3 (Right) Yanagimachi

4 (Finger) Kondo

5 (3) Kurihara

6 (1) Yamakawa

7 (shortstop) Kawase

8 (catcher) Umino

9 (2) Makihara University

Starters: Arihara, Uwasawa, Moinelo, Otsu

Relief: Sugiyama, Matsumoto Yu, Fujii, Hernandez

Basic lineup for 2026

1 (1) Masaki

2 (Central) Shuto

3 (finger) Kondo

4 (3) Kurihara

5 (left) Yanagida

6 (2) Makihara Dai

7 (C) Yamamoto

8 (Right) Yanagimachi

9 (play) Shoko

Starters: Uwasawa, Moinelo, Haru Matsumoto, Yuu Maeda

Relief: Sugiyama, Matsumoto Yu, Hernandez, Suzuki Go