The SoftBank Hawks' first Japan Series title since 2020, clinched in Thursday's 3-2 extra-inning Game 5 victory over the Hanshin Tigers, coincides with a talented generation of players at the club reaching the peak of their powers.Infielder Ukyo Shuto, outfielder Tatsuru Yanagimachi and closer Kazuki Sugiyama are among several Hawks players in their late 20s who have become the nucleus of a club looking to reclaim its position as the dominant force in Nippon Professional Baseball.Shuto, 29, set a new Japan Series record with five hits in a 10-1 Game 2 rout that evened the ledger at 1-1 and …READ FULL ARTICLE
