プロ野球プロやきゅうセ・リーグでも指名しめい打者だしゃ制せい導入どうにゅうへ2027年にせんにじゅうななねんシーズンから

Professional baseballs Central League decided at a board meeting on the 4th to introduce the designated hitter rule starting from the 2027 season, the year after next.

The designated hitter system is a rule stipulated in the Official Baseball Rules in Japan, which allows a team to designate a player to bat in place of the pitcher during offense.

Like other fielders, their name appears in the lineup and they take their turn at bat when their spot in the batting order comes up, but they do not play defense.

Regarding the system, several rules have been established: the designated hitter must be chosen before the game starts, and it must be specified on the lineup sheet which of the nine players, other than the pitcher, is the designated hitter. While it is not mandatory to designate a hitter, if one is not designated before the game, a designated hitter cannot be used partway through the game.

The “designated hitter system” is spreading throughout the baseball world, as the Japan High School Baseball Federation Kōyaren has decided to introduce it in official games starting in the spring of 2026.

The designated hitter rule started in Major League Baseballs American League in 1973, and was adopted in Japans professional baseball Pacific League in 1975.

In Major League Baseball, the designated hitter rule has been implemented in all games, including the National League, since 2022, and new rules have also been introduced thanks to the success of Shohei Ohtani, who plays both as a pitcher and a batter.

In the past, if a starting pitcher was going to bat, they had to play without using a designated hitter. However, due to the so-called Ohtani Rule, a starting pitcher can also serve as the designated hitter, and even after leaving the mound, they can continue to participate in the game as a batter.

Regarding the introduction of the designated hitter system in the Central League, at the Central League board meeting in December 2020, the Giants proposed a provisional introduction starting from the following season, citing reasons such as reducing the burden on pitchers during the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthening teams by increasing opportunities for fielders to play. However, the proposal was shelved due to a lack of support from other teams.

Furthermore, the Giants once again proposed a provisional introduction at the board meeting in January of the following year, but it was postponed at that time as well.

Also, since the beginning of this year, there has been a growing atmosphere toward its introduction, with opinions being exchanged at managers meetings of the 12 teams regarding whether or not to introduce it in the Central League.

Also, starting next year, major Japanese baseball leagues such as the Tokyo Big6 Baseball League and the Japan High School Baseball Federation have decided to introduce the designated hitter rule, and its adoption is spreading throughout the baseball world.