MLB is bringing home top talent from Japan's most popular sport

Players like Shohei Ohtani have become the face of Major League Baseball

Players from the Los Angeles Dodgers and Hanshin Tigers gather after their game at the Tokyo Dome on March 16, 2025.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and Hanshin Tigers gather after their game at the Tokyo Dome on March 16, 2025
(Image credit: Masterpress/Getty Images)

The crack of the bat is almost here with Opening Day for the 2025 Major League Baseball season set for March 27. But while MLB has become known for its melting pot of backgrounds among players, this diversity may be putting a strain on the Japanese baseball industry.

Baseball has long been the most popular sport in Japan, with its top league, Nippon Professional Baseball, drawing nearly 27 million attendees last year. Yet players like Shohei Ohtani have become major stars in the U.S., and others are bypassing NPB entirely. This could mark the beginning of a new trend where Japanese baseball players are recruited in the U.S. straight away.

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Justin Klawans, The Week US

Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.