World Series Fever: Japan's Baseball Obsession Reaches New Heights

Saturday's World Series Game Two attracted 15.9 million viewers in Japan, marking a record for postseason Major League Baseball viewership in the country. The visibility surge is attributed to Japanese players Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The Dodgers lead the Yankees 2-0, as viewership in Japan surpasses U.S. levels.

Saturday's Game Two of the World Series captured the attention of 15.9 million viewers in Japan, marking a historic high for postseason Major League Baseball viewership in the nation, Major League Baseball officials announced on Monday. The rising interest is attributed to Japan's fascination with national icons Shohei Ohtani, combined with Yoshinobu Yamamoto's strong performance on the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Yamamoto's outstanding play helped secure a 4-2 victory over the New York Yankees, contributing to the Dodgers' commanding 2-0 series lead. Despite going hitless and injuring his left shoulder, Ohtani remains in the lineup for Monday's Game Three. Prior games, notably an Oct. 11 face-off between the Dodgers and Padres featuring Ohtani and fellow Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish, drew significant viewership in Japan.

The first two Fall Classic games average nearly 30 million viewers combined across the United States and Japan but show higher engagement in Japan. In the 18-34 demographic, U.S. viewership rose by 93%. Social media achieved record engagement levels with 345 million views. The Yankees' Clarke Schmidt faces off against Dodgers' Walker Buehler in Game Three as the series moves to New York.

(With inputs from agencies.)