Hokkaido Nippon-Ham started the season by hitting Home Run large numbers.

While Fukuoka Softbank Hawks are second Home Run with 38, Hokkaido Nippon-Ham are leading with 54. This season, Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters have been hitting Home Run at a pace that far surpasses other teams since the start of the season, generating a lot of buzz. In terms of standings, they are still in fourth place as of the end of the game on May 17th, and haven't quite found their rhythm yet, but how much of an impact will this Home Run total have on the team's standings?

This time, we'll introduce the annual standings of the teams that have recorded the most Home Run in the league over the past 10 years since 2017, as well as the teams of players who have won Home Run title. We'll consider the advantages that power hitting brings and the value that Home Run hold. (*Records are as of the end of the game on May 17th)

Since 2017, most of the teams that have recorded the most wins in the league have finished in the top three.

The teams that recorded the most Home Run in Pacific League since 2017, and their final standings, are as follows:

Since 2017, every team that has recorded Home Run in the league has ultimately finished in the top three (A-class). Furthermore, with the exception of the Saitama Seibu Lions in 2022, all eight of these teams have finished in second place or higher and have been in contention for the championship, winning the league title in five of those seasons.

In addition, while Fukuoka Softbank Hawks finished second in the 2018 and 2019 seasons, they both won the postseason and became the champions of Japan. At the same time, the Saitama Seibu Lions, who achieved two consecutive championships, dominated the league with their powerful batting lineup, but it is clear that Fukuoka Softbank also had a sufficiently destructive batting lineup.

Furthermore, of the nine teams, seven advanced through the postseason to the Japan Series, and five of those teams went on to become the champions of Japan. This suggests that the presence of long hits, which can significantly change the momentum of a short series, also holds great significance in the postseason.

Although the Saitama Seibu Lions finished in third standings in 2022, they were in first place until August, putting up a fierce fight for the championship. As you can see, in addition to the five teams that won the league championship, the other teams also showed the potential to win the league.

And as for Hokkaido Nippon-Ham in 2025, it's still fresh in our memories that they were in a fierce championship battle with Fukuoka Softbank until the very end of the season. This season, with their outstanding power hitting, it will be interesting to see if they can utilize their powerful batting lineup to compete for the top spot in the league, just like last year.

The team to which Home Run champion belongs often also finishes in the top ranks.

Next, let's look at the players who recorded the most Home Run in Pacific League since 2017, and the annual standings of the teams each player belonged to at the time.

In the nine seasons since 2017, 11 Home Run have won the home run title, and in nine of those cases, their team finished in the top three (A-class). This shows that, similar to the teams that led the league in Home Run runs, the teams to which Home Run champions belonged also performed well in most seasons.

In particular, it is noteworthy that in the five-year period from 2017 to 2021, teams that had Home Run champion on their roster won the league championship four times. This result clearly demonstrates the significant advantage of having a hitter who can produce a large number Home Run.

Furthermore, while Hotaka Yamakawa has won Home Run title four times in nine years, in 2018, 2019, and 2024, his team won the league championship in the seasons in which he won Home Run title three times. It is also noteworthy that in 2022, the only year he did not win the league championship, he played in only 129 games, while in the three seasons in which his team won the championship, he played in all 143 games.

Furthermore, in 2017, Despaigne won Home Run title in his first year with the team, making a significant contribution to Fukuoka Softbank 's return to the championship. Two years later, in 2021, Yutaro Sugimoto had a breakout season, reaching the required number of plate appearances for the first time and winning Home Run title, becoming a driving force behind the team's league championship as their main slugger.

In 2023, three players tied with 26 Home Run, resulting in a rare season where three players were Home Run champions. Furthermore, Chiba Lotte Marines, where Polanco plays, finished in second place, and Fukuoka Softbank, where Kensuke Kondo plays, finished in third place, both securing a spot in the top three (A-class). In addition, Tohoku Rakuten Eagles, where Hideto Asamura plays, also had a chance to make it into the top three until the final game, achieving results comparable to the teams of the other two players.

In 2025, Reyes also led the team's offense with a double crown, winning both Home Run and RBI titles, and greatly contributing to the team's success. This season, Ryoya Kurihara currently leads the league with 12 Home Run, followed by Chusei Mannami with Home Run In addition to the outcome of the title race, the final standings of the teams they play for will also be an interesting factor.

Will the team that recorded the most Home Run this season be able to advance to the top ranks?

Teams that recorded the most Home Run in the league also tended to finish near the top of the standings. In addition, teams with Home Run leaders often won the league championship or finished in the top three, reaffirming that power hitting is a major factor in achieving a high ranking.

Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, who have been hitting Home Run in abundance since the start of the season, will they be able to achieve a top standings, as has happened in the past? This season, it might be worth paying attention to how teams that have demonstrated their power hitting and teams with Home Run leaders will ultimately rank.

Written by Ryota Mochizuki