The Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters claimed their first Pacific League title in three years without even having to suit up for a game on Tuesday, thanks to the Seibu Lions' 5-3 defeat to the Chiba Lotte Marines.
The idle Fighters, who were in first place with a magic number of one before second-place Seibu's game on Tuesday, will take a one-win advantage as the pennant title holder into the final stage of the Climax Series against the winner of the first stage between the second- and third-place teams.
Nippon Ham rookie manager Hideki Kuriyama became the first skipper in his first year to win the pennant since Seibu's Hisanobu Watanabe achieved the feat with the Lions in 2008.