Central League

From BR Bullpen

For United States-based minor leagues with the name Central League, click here.
JapanCentralLeague.jpg

The Central League is one of the two leagues of Nippon Professional Baseball; the other being the Pacific League. The longest-running began in 1950 and is the most prominent pro baseball league in Japan. The league's pennant winner has faced the champion of the Pacific League in the Nippon Series each fall, but starting in 2007 the Central League will adopt the same playoff system as the Pacific League. The Central League has generally gotten far more media coverage in Japan than its Pacific rival, though the talent level is equal. The Giants have historically been the dominant team in league history. Interleague play began in 2005, allowing the two leagues to face off during the season for the first time. The Central League does not use a DH.

Current Teams[edit]

Yearly Results[edit]

BOLD indicates league champion; GOLD indicates Nippon Series winner
Year First Place Second Place Third Place Fourth Place Fifth Place Sixth Place Seventh Place Eighth Place
1950 Shochiku Robins Chunichi Dragons Yomiuri Giants Osaka Tigers Taiyo Whales Nishi-Nippon Pirates Kokutetsu Swallows Hiroshima Carp
1951 Yomiuri Giants Nagoya Dragons Osaka Tigers Shochiku Robins Kokutetsu Swallows Taiyo Whales Hiroshima Carp
1952 Yomiuri Giants Osaka Tigers Nagoya Dragons Taiyo Whales Kokutetsu Swallows Hiroshima Carp Shochiku Robins
1953 Yomiuri Giants Osaka Tigers Nagoya Dragons Hiroshima Carp Taiyo-Shochiku Robins Kokutetsu Swallows
1954 Chunichi Dragons Taiyo Whales Osaka Tigers Hiroshima Carp Kokutetsu Swallows Yomiuri Giants
1955 Yomiuri Giants Osaka Tigers Chunichi Dragons Hiroshima Carp Kokutetsu Swallows Taiyo Whales
1956 Yomiuri Giants Osaka Tigers Chunichi Dragons Kokutetsu Swallows Hiroshima Carp Taiyo Whales
1957 Yomiuri Giants Osaka Tigers Chunichi Dragons Kokutetsu Swallows Hiroshima Carp Taiyo Whales
1958 Yomiuri Giants Osaka Tigers Chunichi Dragons Kokutetsu Swallows Hiroshima Carp Taiyo Whales
1959 Yomiuri Giants Osaka Tigers Chunichi Dragons Kokutetsu Swallows Hiroshima Carp Taiyo Whales
1960 Taiyo Whales Yomiuri Giants Osaka Tigers Hiroshima Carp Chunichi Dragons Kokutetsu Swallows
1961 Yomiuri Giants Chunichi Dragons Kokutetsu Swallows Hanshin Tigers Hiroshima Carp Taiyo Whales
1962 Hanshin Tigers Taiyo Whales Chunichi Dragons Yomiuri Giants Hiroshima Carp Kokutetsu Swallows
1963 Yomiuri Giants Chunichi Dragons Hanshin Tigers Kokutetsu Swallows Taiyo Whales Hiroshima Carp
1964 Hanshin Tigers Taiyo Whales Yomiuri Giants Hiroshima Carp Kokutetsu Swallows Chunichi Dragons
1965 Yomiuri Giants Chunichi Dragons Hanshin Tigers Taiyo Whales Hiroshima Carp Sankei Swallows
1966 Yomiuri Giants Chunichi Dragons Hanshin Tigers Hiroshima Carp Taiyo Whales Sankei Atoms
1967 Yomiuri Giants Chunichi Dragons Hanshin Tigers Taiyo Whales Sankei Atoms Hiroshima Carp
1968 Yomiuri Giants Hanshin Tigers Hiroshima Toyo Carp Sankei Atoms Taiyo Whales Chunichi Dragons
1969 Yomiuri Giants Hanshin Tigers Taiyo Whales Chunichi Dragons Sankei Atoms Hiroshima Toyo Carp
1970 Yomiuri Giants Hanshin Tigers Taiyo Whales Hiroshima Toyo Carp Chunichi Dragons Yakult Atoms
1971 Yomiuri Giants Chunichi Dragons Taiyo Whales Hiroshima Toyo Carp Hanshin Tigers Yakult Atoms
1972 Yomiuri Giants Hanshin Tigers Chunichi Dragons Yakult Atoms Taiyo Whales Hiroshima Toyo Carp
1973 Yomiuri Giants Hanshin Tigers Chunichi Dragons Yakult Atoms Taiyo Whales Hiroshima Toyo Carp
1974 Chunichi Dragons Yomiuri Giants Yakult Swallows Hanshin Tigers Taiyo Whales Hiroshima Toyo Carp
1975 Hiroshima Toyo Carp Chunichi Dragons Hanshin Tigers Yakult Swallows Taiyo Whales Yomiuri Giants
1976 Yomiuri Giants Hanshin Tigers Hiroshima Toyo Carp Chunichi Dragons Yakult Swallows Taiyo Whales
1977 Yomiuri Giants Yakult Swallows Chunichi Dragons Hanshin Tigers Hiroshima Toyo Carp Taiyo Whales
1978 Yakult Swallows Yomiuri Giants Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yokohama Taiyo Whales Chunichi Dragons Hanshin Tigers
1979 Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yokohama Taiyo Whales Chunichi Dragons Hanshin Tigers Yomiuri Giants Yakult Swallows
1980 Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yakult Swallows Yomiuri Giants Yokohama Taiyo Whales Hanshin Tigers Chunichi Dragons
1981 Yomiuri Giants Hiroshima Toyo Carp Hanshin Tigers Yakult Swallows Chunichi Dragons Yokohama Taiyo Whales
1982 Chunichi Dragons Yomiuri Giants Hanshin Tigers Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yokohama Taiyo Whales Yakult Swallows
1983 Yomiuri Giants Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yokohama Taiyo Whales Hanshin Tigers Chunichi Dragons Yakult Swallows
1984 Hiroshima Toyo Carp Chunichi Dragons Yomiuri Giants Hanshin Tigers Yakult Swallows Yokohama Taiyo Whales
1985 Hanshin Tigers Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yomiuri Giants Yokohama Taiyo Whales Chunichi Dragons Yakult Swallows
1986 Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yomiuri Giants Hanshin Tigers Yokohama Taiyo Whales Chunichi Dragons Yakult Swallows
1987 Yomiuri Giants Chunichi Dragons Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yakult Swallows Yokohama Taiyo Whales Hanshin Tigers
1988 Chunichi Dragons Yomiuri Giants Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yokohama Taiyo Whales Yakult Swallows Hanshin Tigers
1989 Yomiuri Giants Hiroshima Toyo Carp Chunichi Dragons Yakult Swallows Hanshin Tigers Yokohama Taiyo Whales
1990 Yomiuri Giants Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yokohama Taiyo Whales Chunichi Dragons Yakult Swallows Hanshin Tigers
1991 Hiroshima Toyo Carp Chunichi Dragons Yakult Swallows Yomiuri Giants Yokohama Taiyo Whales Hanshin Tigers
1992 Yakult Swallows Yomiuri Giants Hanshin Tigers Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yokohama Taiyo Whales Chunichi Dragons
1993 Yakult Swallows Chunichi Dragons Yomiuri Giants Hanshin Tigers Yokohama BayStars Hiroshima Toyo Carp
1994 Yomiuri Giants Chunichi Dragons Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yakult Swallows Hanshin Tigers Yokohama BayStars
1995 Yakult Swallows Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yomiuri Giants Yokohama BayStars Chunichi Dragons Hanshin Tigers
1996 Yomiuri Giants Chunichi Dragons Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yakult Swallows Yokohama BayStars Hanshin Tigers
1997 Yakult Swallows Yokohama BayStars Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yomiuri Giants Hanshin Tigers Chunichi Dragons
1998 Yokohama BayStars Chunichi Dragons Yomiuri Giants Yakult Swallows Hiroshima Toyo Carp Hanshin Tigers
1999 Chunichi Dragons Yomiuri Giants Yokohama BayStars Yakult Swallows Hiroshima Toyo Carp Hanshin Tigers
2000 Yomiuri Giants Chunichi Dragons Yokohama BayStars Yakult Swallows Hiroshima Toyo Carp Hanshin Tigers
2001 Yakult Swallows Yomiuri Giants Yokohama BayStars Hiroshima Toyo Carp Chunichi Dragons Hanshin Tigers
2002 Yomiuri Giants Yakult Swallows Chunichi Dragons Hanshin Tigers Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yokohama BayStars
2003 Hanshin Tigers Chunichi Dragons Yomiuri Giants Yakult Swallows Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yokohama BayStars
2004 Chunichi Dragons Yakult Swallows Yomiuri Giants Hanshin Tigers Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yokohama BayStars
2005 Hanshin Tigers Chunichi Dragons Yokohama BayStars Yakult Swallows Yomiuri Giants Hiroshima Toyo Carp
2006 Chunichi Dragons Hanshin Tigers Yakult Swallows Yomiuri Giants Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yokohama BayStars
2007 Yomiuri Giants Chunichi Dragons Hanshin Tigers Yokohama BayStars Hiroshima Toyo Carp Tokyo Yakult Swallows
2008 Yomiuri Giants Hanshin Tigers Chunichi Dragons Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yokohama BayStars Tokyo Yakult Swallows
2009 Yomiuri Giants Chunichi Dragons Tokyo Yakult Swallows Hanshin Tigers Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yokohama BayStars
2010 Chunichi Dragons Hanshin Tigers Yomiuri Giants Tokyo Yakult Swallows Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yokohama BayStars
2011 Chunichi Dragons Tokyo Yakult Swallows Yomiuri Giants Hanshin Tigers Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yokohama BayStars
2012 Yomiuri Giants Chunichi Dragons Tokyo Yakult Swallows Hiroshima Toyo Carp Hanshin Tigers Yokohama BayStars
2013 Yomiuri Giants Hanshin Tigers Hiroshima Toyo Carp Chunichi Dragons Yokohama BayStars Tokyo Yakult Swallows
2014 Yomiuri Giants Hanshin Tigers Hiroshima Toyo Carp Chunichi Dragons Yokohama BayStars Tokyo Yakult Swallows
2015 Yakult Swallows Yomiuri Giants Hanshin Tigers Hiroshima Toyo Carp Chunichi Dragons Yokohama BayStars
2016 Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yomiuri Giants Yokohama BayStars Hanshin Tigers Tokyo Yakult Swallows Chunichi Dragons
2017 Hiroshima Toyo Carp Hanshin Tigers Yokohama BayStars Yomiuri Giants Chunichi Dragons Tokyo Yakult Swallows
2018 Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yakult Swallows Yomiuri Giants Yokohama BayStars Chunichi Dragons Hanshin Tigers
2019 Yomiuri Giants Yokohama BayStars Hanshin Tigers Hiroshima Toyo Carp Chunichi Dragons Yakult Swallows
2020 Yomiuri Giants Hanshin Tigers Chunichi Dragons Yokohama BayStars Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yakult Swallows
2021 Tokyo Yakult Swallows Hanshin Tigers Yomiuri Giants Hiroshima Toyo Carp Chunichi Dragons Yokohama BayStars
2022 Tokyo Yakult Swallows Yokohama DeNA BayStars Hanshin Tigers Yomiuri Giants Hiroshima Toyo Carp Chunichi Dragons
2023 Hanshin Tigers Hiroshima Toyo Carp Yokohama BayStars Yomiuri Giants Tokyo Yakult Swallows Chunichi Dragons

MVPs[edit]