Editing Nippon Professional Baseball (section)

===Hideo Nomo and the exodus to MLB===
In 1995, star pitcher [[Hideo Nomo]] "retired" from the [[Kintetsu Buffaloes]] and signed with the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]]. Nomo pitched over the span of 14 seasons in the Major Leagues before retiring in 2008. He won the [[Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award|Rookie of the Year Award]] in 1995. He twice led the league in strikeouts, and also threw two no-hitters (the only Japanese pitcher to throw a no-hitter in Major League Baseball until [[Hisashi Iwakuma]] achieved the feat in August 2015). Nomo's MLB success led to more NPB players moving to [[Major League Baseball]],<ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.mlb.com/news/null/c-3145811 | title=Nomo Retires from Baseball | website=Dodgers.com: News | date = July 17, 2008 |agency= The Associated Press|publisher = MLB.com|url-status= dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160523181025/http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/3145811|archive-date = 23 May 2016}}</ref> and eventually led to the creation of the "[[posting system]]" in 1998.<ref name="p. 146">Whiting, Robert (April 2004). ''The Meaning of Ichiro: The New Wave from Japan and the Transformation of our National Pastime''. Warner Books. {{ISBN|0-446-53192-8}}. p. 146.</ref>

Since Nomo's exodus, more than 60 NPB players have played Major League Baseball. Some of the more notable examples include:
*  [[Ichiro Suzuki]]: After nine years with the [[Orix BlueWave]], in 2001 Ichiro was [[Posting system|posted]] by the BlueWave and claimed by MLB's [[Seattle Mariners]]. The first Japanese-born position player to be signed to the major leagues,<ref>{{cite web|title=Players by birthplace: Japan Baseball Stats and Info |website=Baseball-Reference|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/bio/Japan_born.shtml|access-date=2009-08-23}}</ref>{{failed verification|date=March 2018}} Ichiro led the [[American League]] (AL) in batting average and stolen bases en route to being named AL Rookie of the Year and AL Most Valuable Player. Ichiro, a member of MLB's [[3,000 hit club|3,000-hit club]], has established a number of MLB batting records, including the single-season record for hits with 262. He had ten consecutive 200-hit seasons, the longest streak by any player in history. Between his career hits in Japan's and America's major leagues, Ichiro has the most all-time top-flight hits. On August 27, 2022, Ichiro was enshrined in the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ichiro joins exclusive company in Mariners Hall of Fame|website=Major League Baseball|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/ichiro-suzuki-mariners-hall-of-fame-induction|access-date=2022-11-01}}</ref> On January 21, 2025, Ichiro was elected to [[National_Baseball_Hall_of_Fame_and_Museum|Major League Baseball's Hall of Fame]] by the [[Baseball Writers' Association of America]] (BBWAA) in his first year on the ballot, becoming the first Asian-born player to receive American baseball's highest honor.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Castrovince|first1=Anthony |title=First-timers Ichiro, CC and elite closer Wagner elected to Hall|website=Major League Baseball|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2025-baseball-hall-of-fame-election-results|access-date=2025-01-24}}</ref>
* [[Hideki Matsui]]: The slugger played 10 seasons for the [[Yomiuri Giants]], and then in 2003 moved to MLB, where he starred for the [[New York Yankees]] for seven more seasons, including being named the [[Most Valuable Player]] for the 2009 [[World Series]]. He was the first power hitter from Japan to succeed in Major League Baseball.
* [[Kazuhiro Sasaki]]: He is a [[Closer (baseball)|closer]] famed for his [[Splitter (baseball)|splitter]], known as "The Fang". In 2000, he won the [[American League Rookie of the Year]] Award after saving 37 games for the Mariners. In 2001, he was a vital contributor to the Mariners' extremely strong team that won an American League record 116 games, of which he saved 45. In 2001 and 2002, he was an [[Major League Baseball All-Star|All-Star]]. After 2003, he returned to Japan to pitch in the NPB until his retirement in 2005.
* [[Kazuo Matsui]]: After eight stellar seasons with the [[Seibu Lions]], Matsui signed with the [[New York Mets]] on December 15, 2003, in 2004 becoming the first Japanese infielder to play with a Major League Baseball team.<ref name=rockiesacquirematsui>{{cite press release |url=http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20060609&content_id=1497193&vkey=pr_col&fext=.jsp&c_id=col |title=The Official Site of The Colorado Rockies: Official Info |publisher=Colorado.rockies.mlb.com |access-date=December 22, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007222934/http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20060609&content_id=1497193&vkey=pr_col&fext=.jsp&c_id=col |archive-date=October 7, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> His seven seasons in Major League Baseball were not as successful, and he later returned to NPB. Matsui now resides as the manager of his former Lions team.
* [[Shohei Ohtani]]: He is a [[two-way player]] who was a five-time All-Star while playing for the [[Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Shohei Ohtani first Japanese player voted to start in All-Star Game since 2010 |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2021/07/02/baseball/mlb/shohei-ohtani-all-star-start/ |website=The Japan Times |access-date=July 26, 2021 |date=July 2, 2021}}</ref> Ohtani holds the record for fastest pitch by a Japanese-born player in NPB history at {{convert|165|km/h|mph|1|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Wertheim |first1=Jon |title=Shohei Ohtani is a two-way superstar who could change the face of baseball |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2017/04/06/shohei-ohtani |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=July 26, 2021 |language=en-us |date=April 6, 2017}}</ref> After signing with the [[Los Angeles Angels]], Ohtani won the 2018 AL Rookie of the Year award. In 2021, he became the first player in MLB history to be named an All-Star as both a pitcher and a position player.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Salvador |first1=Joseph |title=Ohtani Makes History as MLB Finalizes All-Star Rosters |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2021/07/04/mlb-2021-all-star-game-roster-set-reserves-shohei-ohtani-makes-history |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=July 26, 2021 |language=en-us |date=July 4, 2021}}</ref> After the conclusion of the season, Ohtani was unanimously named the AL Most Valuable Player. In 2023, Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, in what was then the [[List of largest sports contracts|most expensive contract in sports history]], worth $700 million, before [[Juan Soto]] surpassed that by $65 million with the [[New York Mets]] that offseason.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lu |first=Garry |date=2024-12-10 |title=The 25 Most Expensive Sports Contracts In History |url=https://www.bosshunting.com.au/hustle/most-expensive-sports-contracts/ |access-date=2025-05-12 |website=Boss Hunting |language=en-US}}</ref> Ohtani would become the first player to record a [[40–40 club|50-50 season]], winning him his second unanimous MVP.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Unanimous yet again: Ohtani wins third career MVP Award |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/shohei-ohtani-2024-nl-mvp |access-date=2025-05-12 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref>