Tsuyoshi Shinjo proposes increasing NPB bench size to 28 players

Tsuyoshi Shinjo, manager of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, has proposed a change to Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) roster rules. He suggested increasing the first-team bench size from the current 26 players to 28.

Shinjo argued that the additional spots are necessary to manage unpredictable situations, particularly during the latter half of the season when extreme heat increases the risk of heatstroke. He noted that while infectious diseases like COVID-19 allow for special roster exceptions, heatstroke does not, making sudden medical emergencies difficult to manage with the current limit.

Additionally, Shinjo highlighted the difficulty of managing injuries that are unavoidable, such as being hit by a batted ball or accidents involving catchers. He emphasized that adding just two more players would provide teams with much-needed flexibility to handle such sudden absences and prioritize player safety.