Third Place and Low Expectations
The 2024 BayStars finished third in the Central League at 71-69-3 under fourth-year manager Daisuke Miura. Shugo Maki anchored the lineup with .295/28 HR/88 RBI, while Katsuki Azuma led pitchers with 11 wins and Yasuaki Yamasaki saved 30 games. After spending time in last place mid-season, they rallied to claim the final Climax Series spot with virtually no one predicting a championship.
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Climax Series Dominance
DeNA swept the second-place Yomiuri 2-0 in the First Stage, then overcame the pennant-winning Carp's one-win advantage in the Final Stage, winning four of five games. The offense exploded throughout the CS, revealing a team built for short-series intensity.
Toppling the 91-Win Hawks
Facing SoftBank's dominant 91-win squad in the Japan Series, DeNA seized control from Game 1. Maki delivered clutch hitting throughout as DeNA won 4-2, claiming their first championship since 1998. A third-place team winning the Japan Series represented the ultimate 'gekokujo' (upset) in CS history. Maki earned Series MVP as Yokohama celebrated 26 years of waiting.
12 Years of DeNA Rebuilding Realized
The championship culminated 12 years of transformation since DeNA's 2012 acquisition, progressing from TBS-era futility through stadium renovation, fan engagement innovation, and gradual team building. Manager Miura, who spent his entire 25-year playing career as 'Hama no Bancho' in Yokohama, cemented his legend by delivering the title as manager. The victory reignited debate over CS fairness when third-place teams can claim the championship.
Manager Miura's Strategy in Short Series
Throughout the CS and Japan Series, manager Miura navigated short-series play with aggressive bullpen management and flexible lineup construction. His relief corps, anchored by Hiromi Ise and Yasuaki Yamasaki, consistently locked down close games. Against SoftBank's powerful lineup, Miura pulled starters early and deployed multiple relievers in sequence. He also rotated lower-order hitters based on matchups against opposing pitchers. Despite being a complete-game pitcher himself during his playing career, Miura embraced pitch-count management as a manager.
SoftBank's Miscalculation and CS System Implications
The 2024 SoftBank Hawks recorded 91 wins and led second place by 14.5 games in a dominant regular season. Yet in the Japan Series, they could not fully demonstrate their strength against a DeNA team riding CS momentum. Analysts suggested that cruising to the pennant with a large lead created a competitive gap in October. The outcome intensified debate about reforming or abolishing the Climax Series system. Critics argued the first-place team received insufficient advantage, and proposals emerged requiring a winning percentage above .500 for Japan Series eligibility.
Yokohama's City and 26 Years of Memory
When the Yokohama BayStars won the 1998 Japan Series, the Kannai and Isezakicho districts near Yokohama Stadium overflowed with celebrating crowds until late at night. In 2024, approximately 280,000 people gathered for the victory parade stretching from Minato Mirai to Yokohama Stadium. Over 26 years, DeNA's extensive stadium renovations boosted attendance, reaching approximately 2.47 million for home games in the 2024 season. The BayStars invited 1998 championship members including Hisanori Suzuki and Motonobu Tanishige to OB events connecting generations of fans. Local shopping districts held victory sales throughout, with the economic impact estimated at tens of billions of yen.