He contributed to Tohoku Rakuten Eagles 's first championship and became a familiar figure to Japanese fans.

The 2026 US baseball Hall of Fame inductees have been announced, and Andrew Jones will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in the same year. Jones, who played for Tohoku Rakuten Eagles for two years from 2013 and contributed to the club's first best in Japan, is familiar to Japanese fans.

This time, we will introduce Jones' career again and pick up three particularly memorable scenes from the many plays he showed during his time at Tohoku Rakuten Eagles. I would like to look back on the footprints left by famous players who have shown outstanding presence in MLB in the Japanese baseball world with videos.

During his time in the MLB, he was a powerful hitting and good outfielder, and in the NPB he set a new Pacific League record.

Jones' individual statistics in MLB and NPB are as follows:

Jones made his MLB debut with the Braves in 1996 and played for the team for 12 seasons until 2007. From 1998, he hit 26 or more Home Run in 10 consecutive seasons, and in 2005, he had a spectacular season, winning both the National League Home Run title and RBI title with 51 Home Run and 128 RBI.

center fielder field defense was among the best in baseball, earning him the Gold Glove Award for 10 consecutive years from 1998 to 2007, and he was a key player in the Braves' golden age both offensively and defensively. In his 17 seasons in MLB, he played in 2196 games, recording an outstanding record of 1933 hit, 434 Home Run, and 1289 RBI, before moving to NPB in 2013.

At Tohoku Rakuten Eagles, he served as the cleanup hitter from his rookie year in 2013, batting .243 with 26 Home Run, 94 RBI, and an OPS of .845, in addition to a league-leading 105 Walk, fulfilling his role as a key player in the heart of the batting order. He was a spiritual pillar supporting the rapidly improving team and made a significant contribution to their first-ever league championship and Japan Series title since the team's founding.

In 2014, he not only showcased his powerful hitting with 24 Home Run, 71 RBI, and an OPS of .820, but also recorded a record-breaking 118 Walk in a single season in Pacific League League, demonstrating exceptional plate discipline with an on-base percentage in the .390s for the second consecutive year. Despite arriving in Japan at the age of 36, he adapted remarkably well to Japanese baseball and, through his sincere attitude and the wealth of experience he contributed to the team, became a beloved figure among the fans of Sendai.

Now, let's look back at three memorable moments from Jones' two seasons with Tohoku Rakuten Eagles, accompanied by video footage.

A spectacular grand slam hit in Fukuoka before home run terrace was installed (July 7, 2013)

In the top of the 8th inning, when Tohoku Rakuten Eagles took the lead with 2 runs, there was still a great opportunity to score an additional run with 1 out and bases loaded. Mr. Jones, who stood at the plate in this situation, caught the sweet ball with a powerful swing without missing it. The perfect ball, which he was convinced the moment he hit it, became a grand slam that determined the team's win and jumped into the left stand.

Fukuoka Yahoo! in 2013! The dome (at that time) was before the installation of the home run terrace, and it was a stadium that was more difficult to fire Home Run than it is now. The spectacular Grand Slam, which was released despite the characteristics of such a stadium, became a testament to the long-range qualities that Jones had shown throughout his career to Japanese fans.

The three-run home run that turned the game around and clinched the league championship (September 26, 2013)

In an important game with the magic number 2 to win the championship, Tohoku Rakuten Eagles was facing the top of the 7th inning with a two-run lead. However, the Tohoku Rakuten Eagles batting lineup, eager to win the championship, created a chance for a comeback with two outs and bases loaded one hit, and made the best of it, welcoming Mr. Jones to bat No. 4.

bases loaded runner triple Jones, who had won the RBI MLB championship in the MLB, showed his competitive spirit in the most critical of situations, and his final hit in the game that decided the team's first championship since its founding was truly a priceless blow. He led the team to the crown by hitting the winning run in the game that clinched the team's first championship since the founding of the baseball team.

Ending a tense pitcher battle, he gave up walk-off three runs in an exchange game (May 31, 2014).

In this game, Tohoku Rakuten Eagles welcomed Hiroshima to their home field, and the two teams' pitcher squads were engaged in a battle pitcher that neither team was willing to give up. 0-0 in the bottom of the 9th inning, Tohoku Rakuten Eagles had one hit walk-off with one out and runners on first and second. The game was decided when Jones, who was also playing the fourth position in the game, came to bat.
　
He pulled a breaking ball pitch from full count the well-trained reliever Katsuhiro Nagakawa with great power, and the ball flew walk-off into the left field stands where the fans were waiting for it to hit three runs. It was the work of a main gun and brought an end to the heated game, bringing extraordinarily great joy to the fans who had watched the stifling pitcher game.

Keep an eye on his new stage as a coach

Jones, who stunned audiences with his spectacular arc and the priceless game-winning hit that clinched the championship, is truly worthy of being called the MLB Home Run king. He also set Pacific League record with 118 Walk in a season, which still stands to this day, and created many memorable moments during his two seasons with Tohoku Rakuten Eagles. He was truly a great player who will be remembered in both records and memories.

Jones was a successful player for the Dutch national team during his playing days, and will serve as the manager of the Dutch national team in the 2026 WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC, which begins in March. Following the good news of being inducted into baseball Hall of Fame, we look forward to seeing him achieve even greater success in his new role as a coach, as well as a "reunion" with Japanese baseball fans.

Written by Ryota Mochizuki