The Tokyo Yakult Swallows are a professional baseball team based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. The team have played in the Central League of Nippon Professional Baseball since they were first formed in 1950 as the Kokutetsu Swallows. Formerly, they were known as the Kokutetsu Swallows, Sankei Swallows, Sankei Atoms, Yakult Atoms, and Yakult Swallows before they adopted their current moniker in 2006. The Swallows are named after their corporate owners, Yakult Honsha, who have owned the team since 1970. One of two teams to play in Tokyo, they have played their games at Meiji Jingu Stadium since 1964.
In 76 seasons, they have won the Japan Series six times (1978, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2021) while winning the league pennant nine times. In the Climax Series era for the league since 2007, they have reached the playoff seven times. Table key + Key to symbols and terms in season tableWNumber of regular season winsLNumber of regular season lossesTNumber of regular season tiesGBGames behind from league's first-place teamROYCentral League Rookie of the Year AwardMVPCentral League Most Valuable Player AwardESAEiji Sawamura AwardMSAMatsutaro Shoriki AwardSeries MVPJapan Series Most Valuable Player Award
Season-by-season records Japan Series Champions(1950–present) †Central League Pennant(1950–present) Central League Regular Season Champions(1950–present) ^Climax Series Berth(2004–present) ¤ Season LeagueFinishWinsLossesTiesWin%GBPlayoffsAwardsKokutetsu / Sankei Swallows 1950 Central 7th 42 94 2 .309 57.5 1951 Central5th46 59 2 .43831.5 1952 Central5th50 70 0 .417 331953 Central6th45 79 1 .363 421954 Central5th55 732 .430 321955 Central5th57 71 2 .445 34.51956 Central4th61 65 4 .485 211957 Central4th58 68 4 .462 15.51958 Central4th58 68 4 .462 17.51959 Central4th63 65 2 .492 15.51960 Central6th54 72 4 .431161961 Central3rd67 60 3 .527 5.51962 Central6th51 79 4 .392 241963 Central4th65 73 2 .471 181964 Central5th61 74 5 .452 18.51965 Central6th44 91 5 .326 45.5Sankei / Yakult Atoms 1966 Central5th52 78 5 .400 371967 Central5th58 72 5 .446 261968 Central4th64 66 4 .492 131969 Central5th58 693 .457 16.51970 Central6th33 92 5 .264 45.51971 Central6th52 72 6 .419 191972 Central4th60 67 3 .472 14.51973 Central4th62 65 3 .488 4.5Yakult Swallows 1974 Central3rd60 63 7 .488 121975 Central4th57 64 9 .471 161976 Central5th52 68 10 .433 23.51977 Central2nd6258 10 .517 151978 Central1st68 46 16 .596 –Won Japan Series (Braves) 4–3Tsutomu Wakamatsu (MVP)Katsuo Osugi (Series MVP)1979 Central6th48 69 13 .410 191980 Central2nd68 52 10 .567 6.51981 Central4th56 58 16.491 13.51982 Central6th45 75 10 .375 23.5 1983 Central6th53 69 8 .434 191984 Central5th51 71 8 .418 251985 Central6th46 74 10 .383 26.51986 Central6th49 77 4 .389 27.51987 Central4th58 64 8 .475 19.51989 Central5th58 69 3 .457 221989 Central4th55 72 3 .433 28.51990 Central5th58 72 0 .446 301991 Central3rd67 63 2 .515 71992 Central1st69 61 1 .531 –Lost Japan Series (Lions) 4–3Jack Howell (MVP)1993 Central1st80 50 2 .615 –Won Japan Series (Lions) 4–3Atsuya Furuta (MVP)Kenjiro Kawasaki (Series MVP)1994 Central4th62 68 0 .477 81995 Central1st82 48 0 .631 – Won Japan Series (BlueWave) 4–1Tom O'Malley (MVP)Tom O'Malley (Series MVP)1996 Central4th61 69 0 .469 161997 Central1st83 52 2 .615 –Won Japan Series (Lions) 4–1Atsuya Furuta (MVP)Atsuya Furuta (Series MVP)1998 Central4th66 69 0 .489 131999 Central4th6669 0 .489 152000Central4th66 69 1 .489 122001Central1st76 58 6 .567 – Won Japan Series (Buffaloes) 4–1Roberto Petagine (MVP)Atsuya Furuta (Series MVP)2002Central2nd74 62 4 .544 112003Central3rd71 66 3 .518 15.52004Central2nd72 64 2 .529 7.52005Central4th71 73 2 .493 17.5Tokyo Yakult Swallows 2006Central3rd70 73 3 .490 182007Central6th60840 .417 20.52008Central5th66 74 4 .471 17.52009Central3rd71 72 1 .497 22Lost Climax Series First Stage (Dragons 2–12010Central4th72 68 4 .514 6.52011Central2nd70 59 15 .543 2.5Won Climax Series First Stage (Giants) 2–1Lost Climax Series Final Stage (Dragons) 4–22012Central3rd68 65 11 .511 20Lost Climax Series First Stage (Dragons) 2–12013Central6th57 83 4 .407 28.5Wladimir Balentien (MVP)2014Central6th60 81 3 .426 212015Central1st76 65 2 .539 –Won Climax Series Final Stage (Giants) 4–1Lost Japan Series (Hawks) 4–1 Tetsuto Yamada (MVP)2016Central5th64 78 1 .451 25.52017Central6th45 96 2 .319 442018Central2nd75662.5327Lost Climax Series First Stage (Giants) 2–02019Central6th59 82 2 .418 182020Central6th41 69 10 .373 252021Central1st73 52 18 .584 –Won Climax Series Final Stage (Giants) 3–0Won Japan Series (Buffaloes) 4–2 Munetaka Murakami (MVP)Yuhei Nakamura (Series MVP)2022Central1st80 59 4 .576 –Won Climax Series Final Stage (Tigers) 4–0Lost Japan Series (Buffaloes) 4–2–1 Munetaka Murakami (MVP)2023Central5th57 83 3 .407 292024Central5th62 77 4 .446 16.52025Central6th57 79 7 .419 26.5
References
External links Tokyo Yakult Swallows Yearly results - NPB.jp