NPB 2025 Opening Day: Biggest Off-Season Signings, Must-Watch Matchups & Live Streaming Guide

Fans of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) are gearing up for a dramatic stretch run as the 2025 regular season enters its final seven weeks. After 105 games, the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks have taken pole position in the Pacific League at 64-41, chased closely by the resurgent Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (62-43). In the Central League, the Hanshin Tigers sit atop the table at 64-35, while the defending champion Yokohama DeNA BayStars are two games back and gaining momentum. Tight Pennant Races Boost Daily Interest With only 38 games left for most clubs, every series now carries playoff implications. SoftBank’s veteran core—anchored by sluggers Yuki Yanagita and Hotaka Yamakawa—has paired elite power with the league’s best bullpen ERA. Meanwhile, Hanshin’s mix of speed and defense has turned Koshien Stadium into a fortress; the Tigers own a Central-leading 35-12 home record. Breakout Stars Drawing Global Scouts The buzz around 23-year-old left-hander Shota Irie continues to grow; his 1.89 ERA and 152 strikeouts for the Fighters have already sparked Major League Baseball interest. On the hitting side, Yakult Swallows third-baseman Munetaka Murakami has rebounded from a slow April to pace the league in OPS since June, reminding scouts why he’s considered Japan’s next middle-of-the-order export. Key Series to Watch • Hawks vs. Fighters, Aug 22-25: The top two Pacific League clubs collide at Sapporo Dome in a four-game showdown that could swing the pennant race. • Tigers vs. BayStars, Sept 2-4: A sell-out is expected at Yokohama Stadium as last year’s champions host their Kansai rivals with first place at stake. • Inter-league make-up doubleheaders: Rainouts earlier in the year have created a compressed schedule, forcing contenders to test roster depth with multiple four-game weeks. Playoff Format Remains Unchanged The first- and second-place finishers in each league advance to the Climax Series. Third place still carries weight: that club gains a Wild-Card berth and a chance to steal a Japan Series ticket, as the Chiba Lotte Marines famously did in 2021. Managers are already juggling rotations to ensure ace pitchers start the initial best-of-three round on full rest. Marketing Push and Streaming Growth NPB.TV and Amazon Prime’s Japan hub report double-digit year-over-year subscriber growth, aided by English-language commentary on weekend games. The league has also rolled out a new social-media campaign featuring hashtag #NPB25 to highlight daily home-run celebrations and behind-the-scenes clubhouse footage. What’s Next Roster expansion on September 1 will allow each team to promote up to three “development squad” players, a move that often injects fresh energy into rosters and provides a preview of next season’s talent pipeline. With pennant margins razor-thin and several MVP candidates still making their case, the 2025 NPB season is shaping up to deliver one of the most compelling finishes in recent memory.