The Hanshin Tigers, one of the most popular teams in Nippon Professional Baseball alongside the Yomiuri Giants, have won their first Central League title in 18 years.

Hanshin defeated Yomiuri 4-3 in a Nippon Professional Baseball 2023 home game at Koshien Stadium on Thursday.

With the win, Hanshin improved to 80 wins, four ties and 44 losses on the season, clinching the Central League title regardless of the outcome of the remaining games with second-place Hiroshima, which trailed by 13 games. It’s the first regular season title for Hanshin in 18 years, since 2005.

With a postseason berth secured, Hanshin will advance directly to the final stage of the Climax Series, where it will face the winner of the second- and third-place teams for a ticket to the Japan Series.메이저놀이터

Founded in 1935, Hanshin is based in Hyogo Prefecture, located right next to Japan’s second largest city, Osaka, and is the most popular club in the Kansai region. However, they have only won the Japan Series once, in 1985.