The Yokohama BayStars stand just one win away from securing a berth in the Japan Series as they enter Game 4 of the Central League Climax Series final against the Hanshin Tigers at Koshien Stadium on October 17, 2026. Yokohama holds a 3-1 series lead when accounting for Hanshin’s regular-season advantage, having secured three consecutive victories by shutouts of 2-0, 1-0, and 4-0.
Kotaro Ohtake Takes the Ball for Hanshin in Elimination Game
Hanshin turns to left-hander Kotaro Ohtake to stave off elimination on home turf. Ohtake finished the regular season with a 7-9 record and a 2.74 ERA across his appearances. However, his numbers against the BayStars tell a different story, as he managed just one win against three losses while posting a 4.15 ERA in four outings against Yokohama during the regular campaign.
Katsuki Azuma Starts for Yokohama with Series Clinch in Sight
The BayStars counter with Katsuki Azuma, who posted a 12-6 record and a 2.40 ERA in regular-season play. Azuma faced the Hanshin Tigers once during the regular season, earning a victory with a 3.86 ERA. His postseason form remains sharp following a strong outing on October 10 against the Yomiuri Giants, where he surrendered just one run across seven innings of work.
Baseball is just one more sport 🇯🇵🇦🇺 get excited about! Ambassador met young Yokohama DeNA Baystars @ydb_yokohama players, TOKUYAMA Souma and AZUMA Junpei, last week before @CanberraCavalry Japan Night on Friday 🎌⚾️ #CHARGE #ourcavsourcommunity pic.twitter.com/gs961xLQUZ
Central League Climax Series Standing and Pitching Matchup
Yokohama’s dominant pitching staff has stifled the Hanshin bats throughout the first three games of the final round, yielding zero runs in the series so far. With Azuma taking the mound holding superior regular-season metrics compared to his counterpart, the BayStars look to close out the pennant race at Koshien Stadium and punch their ticket to the championship round.
Related reading
