NPB Central League: Yokohama DeNA BayStars
Jerar Encarnación made his highly anticipated practical debut on June 17th, appearing as the designated hitter in a farm league game to begin his adjustment to Japanese baseball. While he went hitless over three at-bats—recording a pop fly to second, a fly out to right, and a pop fly to third—the outing was a vital first step. Unlike the American minor league system, which is centered on intense roster competition, Japan’s Western or Eastern (Farm) leagues serve as a dedicated “tuning ground” for established foreign stars and veterans to fine-tune their mechanics. Encarnación is slated to get under his belt another three to four farm games to lock in his timing against NPB pitching. Once this brief acclimatization period is complete, the power-hitting slugger is scheduled to officially join the first-team roster, ready to unleash his devastating raw power in the Central League.
Yokosuka " Rainy " Johnny 