The 2026 baseball season is over. From the Dodgers and Brewers in America to the Hawks and BayStars in Japan, it gave me more excitement than I expected.
The Milwaukee Brewers have won the World Series, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays after eliminating Shohei Ohtani's Los Angeles Dodgers in the playoffs.
When your favorite team loses in the playoffs, the season seems to end right then and there, at least for you. But when the team that beat yours goes on to win the championship, you can console yourself with the thought that your team was practically the runner-up.
And the Brewers were certainly strong.
Television commentators and newspapers have praised their strength, and even Ichiro Suzuki has spoken highly of the team.
With so many young players on their roster, they seem likely to remain competitive for years to come.
Meanwhile, in Japanese professional baseball, the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks won the Japan Series, defeating the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in what might be called a showdown between two IT companies.
I grew up hearing stories about legendary Nankai Hawks players such as Katsuo Hirose, Tadashi Sugiura, and Katsuya Nomura. I was also fond of Yasutake Kageura, the fictional baseball player in Shinji Mizushima's long-running manga series Abu-san.
So I once had a special attachment to the Hawks.
I rarely go to crowded places, whether concerts or sporting events, but I even went to Seibu Stadium and the dome to cheer for them.
Well, perhaps that doesn't make me much of a devoted fan, but I certainly considered myself a Hawks supporter back then.
Naturally, I should be pleased that the Hawks have won the championship.
But since the team moved to Fukuoka, my interest has gradually faded, along with much of my emotional attachment.
These days, as a resident of Kanagawa Prefecture, I support the Yokohama DeNA BayStars, and I had hoped they would win.
Still, the Hawks were incredibly strong.
The BayStars came so close on several occasions, only to fall just short of victory. It was disappointing, but the difference in strength between the two teams was undeniable.
I hope the BayStars will come back stronger next year.
After all, simply seeing your favorite team reach the playoffs is already something to celebrate.
Being able to enjoy postseason baseball in both America and Japan all the way through October felt like getting not just one rare bonus track, but two.
I'm not even what you would call a particularly passionate baseball fan.
Still, baseball gave me plenty of enjoyment this year, and the extended postseason felt like an unexpected bonus.
One final note: I was born in 1963, so I have no personal memory of the Nankai Hawks' championship in 1959.
Sometimes, being a casual fan is the best way to enjoy the game.
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1. Eliminate (verb)
To defeat a team or player so that they can no longer compete in a tournament.
日本語：敗退させる、勝ち抜いて相手を退ける
2. Console oneself (phrase)
To make oneself feel better after experiencing disappointment or failure.
日本語：自分を慰める、気休めに考える
3. Runner-up (noun)
A person or team that finishes second in a competition.
日本語：準優勝者、準優勝チーム
4. Roster (noun)
A list of players who belong to a sports team.
日本語：選手名簿、登録選手
5. Emotional attachment (noun phrase)
A strong personal feeling of affection or connection toward someone or something.
日本語：愛着、思い入れ
6. Fall just short (phrase)
To come very close to achieving something but fail to succeed.
日本語：あと一歩及ばない、惜しくも届かない
7. Postseason (noun)
The games played after the regular sports season to determine the champion.
日本語：ポストシーズン、シーズン終了後の優勝決定戦
8. Bonus track (noun)
An additional piece of music included beyond the main tracks of an album; figuratively, an unexpected extra pleasure.
日本語：ボーナストラック、思いがけないおまけ
#MLB #WorldSeries2026 #JapaneseBaseball #BaseballMemories #Japanese pathologist
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