Japanese players have made a lasting impact on Major League Baseball’s biggest stage since 2002, when Tsuyoshi Shinjo became the first Japanese player to appear in the World Series with the San Francisco Giants. Shinjo’s groundbreaking appearance paved the way for a legacy of Japanese talent in the Fall Classic, a legacy that has grown to include stars like Hideki Matsui—nicknamed “Godzilla”—who famously clinched World Series MVP honors in 2009 with the New York Yankees.
This year, two more Japanese standouts, Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, are set to take the field for the Los Angeles Dodgers in a highly anticipated showdown against the New York Yankees. Ohtani, a dominant force as both a hitter and pitcher, and Yamamoto, a pitching sensation, will continue the tradition of Japanese excellence, capturing the excitement of fans worldwide as they battle for the championship.
