Overview

• All six Central League teams voted unanimously on August 4 to introduce the designated hitter system beginning in the 2027 season.
• The 2026 campaign will serve as a transition year to give clubs time to adjust rosters and game strategies under the new rule.
• An Ohtani rule will allow starting pitchers who also serve as designated hitters to remain in the batting lineup after they leave the mound.
• This change aligns Central League regulations with the Pacific League, international tournaments and recent DH adoption across Japanese amateur baseball.
• Commissioner Sadayuki Sakakibara and Chairman Kiyoshi Suzuki pointed to rule inconsistencies between leagues and the spread of DH in high school and university play as driving factors.