In the "SMBC Japan Series 2026" starting on October 24, Fukuoka Softbank and Yokohama DeNA will compete for the title of Japan's best. Since Yokohama DeNA won the 2024 matchup between the same teams with 4 wins and 2 losses, this will be a battle for Fukuoka Softbank to seek revenge two years later.

This time, we look back at the Fukuoka Softbank pitchers and fielders who performed well in the 2024 Japan Series and focus on the players who will be key figures in this series.

Four relief pitchers, including pitcher Haru Matsumoto who currently serves as a starter, showed great performances.

The Fukuoka Softbank pitchers who appeared in two or more games during the 2024 Japan Series and maintained an ERA in the 2.00s or lower are as follows.

　Hernandez pitcher pitched in 3 games, tied for the team lead, and left a truly perfect record with zero runs. He allowed only 1 hit with no BB, and showed a dominant pitch with a strike out rate of 15.00, so expectations are high for another great performance similar to the previous one this season, where he recorded a career-high ERA of 1.48.

　Hikaru Kimura pitcher also pitched well in 2 games with no runs. Although he was limited to 5 games in the regular season in 2024, this season he pitched in a career-high 38 games, recorded 13 hold points, and contributed to the championship as a part of the bullpen with an ERA of 2.75. Can he show his dynamism again on the stage of the Japan Series to conclude a year of growth and prove his ability to fans across Japan?

　Haru Matsumoto pitcher pitched in 2 games as a left-handed reliever and showed stable pitch with no runs. Until last season, he combined roles as a starter and reliever, but this season he pitched as a starter in all games, recording 12 win, his first double-digit win total, and showed high-quality pitching with a strike out rate of 9.05. He hopes to pitch well on this year's big stage, where a different usage from two years ago is expected, and contribute to the team's revenge.

　Kazuki Sugiyama pitcher also threw 4 inning in 3 games with only 1 runs and left a good record with an ERA of 2.25. 2024 was the year he first established himself in the first team and served as a set-up man, but this time he faces the Yokohama DeNA lineup again as a proven closer who has won the most saves title for two consecutive years. He wants to show a pitch worthy of a closer representing the league.

The key players who have supported the team for many years also showed great performance in the series two years ago.

Next, let's take a look at the lineup of Fukuoka Softbank fielders who achieved a batting average of .260 or higher in the 2024 Japan Series.

　Kensuke Kondo had an incredible performance, batting .385 with an on-base percentage of .500 and a slugging percentage of .462, reaching base effectively once every two plate appearances. Having won his fifth highest on-base percentage title this season for the first time in two years, great expectations are placed on his ability to get on base. The performance of the hitters surrounding Kondo, who also achieved the feat of a .300 batting average, 30 Home Runs, and 100 RBI, is likely to be one of the factors that greatly influences the outcome of the series.

　Yuki Yanagita also posted strong results with a .320 batting average, .370 on-base percentage, and .480 slugging percentage, demonstrating a performance worthy of a central figure in the lineup, including hitting a Home Run at the opponent's stadium. The 38-year-old veteran, who supported the team's golden era as a core player, has made a strong impression of a comeback by achieving a batting average over .300 for the first time in five years. It is hoped that he will fully demonstrate his batting prowess in this matchup and energize the lineup.

Additionally, Taisei Makihara fulfilled his role as a chance-maker in five games, recording two Walks and one sacrifice bunt, with a .267 batting average and a .353 on-base percentage. Although his career average IsoD is .026, indicating he is not typically the type of player to draw many Walks, he showed a different trend in the Japan Series two years ago. It remains to be seen if he will reach base in many plate appearances this time as well and perform in a way that leads to runs for the team.

　Ukyo Shuto also drew two Walks and left a solid mark with a .261 batting average and a .320 on-base percentage. While he was unable to fully utilize his signature mobility, recording one stolen base against one caught stealing, the presence of the speedster who won his fifth stolen base title in four consecutive years could be a crucial factor in a short series. As such, expectations are high for him to create opportunities alongside Makihara and lead the lineup.

　Kenta Imamiya had a fantastic performance two years ago with a .375 batting average, .400 on-base percentage, and .542 slugging percentage, but due to the effects of an injury, he has been left off the roster for this Japan Series. The departure of the reliable veteran, who had been steadily improving his condition by recording a monthly batting average of .333 or higher for three consecutive months since August, is likely to be a significant blow to the team.

Furthermore, Hiroki Minei, who showed his presence against his former team with a .333 batting average despite a small number of At Bats, has had no first-team game appearances this season and was also left off the Japan Series roster. On the other hand, Yudai Yamamoto, who also moved from Yokohama DeNA to Fukuoka Softbank, had no opportunities to play in the Japan Series two years ago while with Yokohama DeNA due to injury, so attention is focused on his performance against his former team.

Keep a close eye on the talented bullpen and the performance of the fielders who have served as the backbone of the team.

The Fukuoka Softbank pitchers who pitched in multiple games and showed good performance with an ERA in the 2s during the matchup two years ago were all members of the relief squad, and the work of the bullpen pitchers is likely to be important this time as well. Among the fielders, since the core players who have supported the team for many years also left good results two years ago, we hope that the faces who supported the golden era will fulfill their roles as the central pillars this time too.

In the 2024 Japan Series, although they secured two consecutive wins on the road, they were unable to regain the momentum once it was lost, suffering four consecutive losses from the third game onwards. We hope that through the hard work of the players who performed well two years ago and experienced the frustration of the team missing out on the championship, they will achieve revenge in this year's Japan Series.

Text by Ryota Mochizuki