Team Updates & Tactical Review by Manager Shinnosuke Abe
The 2025 NPB season has ended, and the Yomiuri Giants are already preparing for 2026.
Here’s the latest first- and farm-team news, plus a complete tactical analysis of how Manager Shinnosuke Abe guided his team through a season of progress, challenges, and data-driven evolution.
🔶 First-Team Highlights
Central League 2026 Schedule Released
NPB announced the 2026 Central League schedule on November 5.
Abe enters his second year as Giants manager, with the season opener set for late March at Tokyo Dome — featuring an early matchup against the Hanshin Tigers.
👉 Official Giants Schedule
Other key offseason updates:
- Free agency moves and roster cuts completed in late October.
- Stars Yoshihiro Maru and Kazuma Okamoto have started offseason training.
- 2026 ticket sales and Tokyo Dome event updates coming soon.
Focus: Abe’s second season will emphasize data-based decision-making and player development depth.
🔸 Farm Team (Minor League) News
Giants Town Stadium Opening March 1, 2026
The Giants’ new home base, Giants Town Stadium, opens next March!
Relocation and facility setup are in full swing, with intrasquad games and young-player training programs planned.
Prospects like Makoto Kadokawa and Yuto Akihiro are names to watch.
Highlights:
- Special “Opening Series” (four commemorative games) already drawing attention.
- Possible joint training camp with the first team.
- Expect fierce competition as new draftees and re-signed players join the roster.
⚾ Manager Shinnosuke Abe’s Tactical Breakdown: Giants 2025 Season
📈 ① Offense — Winning by Probability
Abe’s offense focuses on efficiency over power.
After a tough 2024, the team rebounded with a +8.2% swing rate in-zone, among league leaders.
- Kazuma Okamoto: 32 HR, .890 OPS — the offensive centerpiece.
- Left-handed hitters improved situational hitting (.285 RISP).
- Team HR total: 148 (4th in league).
👉 The key for 2026: maintaining discipline while boosting slugging power.
🛡️ ② Defense — Abe’s Catcher’s-Eye Philosophy
Abe’s defensive expertise shone through, leading the league with a +12.5 UZR.
- Home runs allowed: down 15%.
- Stolen base prevention: 35% (No.1 in NPB).
- Outfield coverage in center remains an area to strengthen.
Abe’s “preventive defense” — controlling games before they slip — defines his brand of baseball.
⚙️ ③ Pitching — Flexible Six-Man Rotation
Abe optimized pitcher rest cycles using analytics.
- Shosei Togo: 15 wins, 2.88 ERA.
- Tomoyuki Sugano: 12 wins, 3.12 ERA.
- Taisei (25 holds) and Kohta Nakagawa (32 saves) anchored the bullpen.
However, after Iori Yamazaki’s injury, back-end ERA rose above 4.00 — a key area for 2026 reinforcements.
🔍 2025 Season Summary — Giants Enter Their “Third Chapter of Evolution”
The Giants ranked near the top in defense and pitching but lagged in offensive output.
Abe’s blend of analytics and experience continues to shape a smarter, more resilient team.
For 2026, expect bolder lineup strategies, more aggressive base running, and younger players stepping into key roles.
With a new stadium and renewed energy, the Abe Giants are ready to chase championship glory once again.
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