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Artwork for Talking Yakyu

Talking Yakyu

JapanBall
Nippon Professional Baseball
World Baseball Classic
MLB
Softbank Hawks
Yomiuri Giants
Samurai Japan
Shohei Ohtani
Major League Baseball
Munetaka Murakami
Hanshin Tigers
Rating Pitchers
Carter Stewart Jr.
Yokohama DNA Bay Stars
Japanese Baseball
Roki Sasaki
Tokyo Yakult Swallows
Kazuma Okamoto
Shota Imanaga
Stanford University
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Talking Yakyu is a podcast for all things Japanese baseball in English. From the latest developments in Nippon Professional Baseball to Samurai Japan at the World Baseball Classic to the newest stars making the jump to MLB, JapanBall writer Yuri Karasawa and Sports Info Solutions pro evaluator Brandon Tew break it all down.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes19Founded9 months ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BaseballSports

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Artwork for Talking Yakyu

Latest Episodes

Yuri Karasawa (x.com/yakyucosmo) and Brandon Tew (x.com/brandonteweets) preview the 2026 Nippon Professional Baseball playoffs.

New Substack: yakyucosmopolitan.substack.com/

japanball.com

extrainningstravel.c... more

YouTube

Yuri Karasawa (x.com/yakyucosmo) and Brandon Tew (x.com/brandonteweets) discuss the latest storylines from Japanese baseball.

New Substack: yakyucosmopolitan.substack.com/

japanball.com

extrainningstravel.com... more

YouTube

Yuri Karasawa (x.com/yakyucosmo) and Brandon Tew (x.com/brandonteweets) discuss the latest storylines from Japanese baseball.

japanball.com

extrainningstravel.com

yakyucosmo.com

00:00 - SoftBank Hawks win PL ... more

YouTube

Yuri Karasawa (x.com/yakyucosmo) and Brandon Tew (x.com/brandonteweets) discuss the latest storylines from Japanese baseball.

japanball.com

extrainningstravel.com

yakyucosmo.com

00:00 - Koshien & Shoki Oda

09... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
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Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
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Hosts

Yuri Karasawa
Host of Talking Yakyu; writer with deep Tokyo-based baseball coverage and involvement in JapanBall/JapanBall-related projects.
Brandon Tew
Co-host and analyst focused on sports analytics for NPB and MLB context, with roles at Sports Info Solutions and Prospects Live.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 23 ratings
  • It’s back!

    So happy to have a return about a league that is news starved I. The US/English speaking market! Combining that with the history of FANTASTIC coverage by the hosts it’s a gold mine!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    iowanic
    United States8 months ago
  • These guys know ball

    Love the stats-and-scouting led analysis from Yuri and Brandon!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SthomasB
    United States9 months ago
  • Mandatory listening for NPB fans

    Yuri and Brandon break down NPB teams and players better than anyone else on the internet! I learn something every episode.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jessie Nell
    United States9 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Engaging, data-driven breakdowns that appeal to serious baseball fans.
Excellent source for NPB coverage and cross-border player movements.
Clear, informed insights from an analytics perspective, great for deep dives.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#68
United Kingdom/Sports/Baseball
Apple Podcasts
#104
Canada/Sports/Baseball
Apple Podcasts
#63
Germany/Sports/Baseball
Apple Podcasts
#151
Australia/Sports/Baseball
Apple Podcasts
#4
South Korea/Sports/Baseball
Apple Podcasts
#20
Singapore/Sports/Baseball

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Mailbag Questions! Future NPB to MLB Postings? Japan's WBC Chances?
Q: How will the dead ball era in NPB affect performances for hitters versus pitchers coming over to MLB?
The dead ball negatively impacts hitters' home run statistics, so MLB players adjusting from NPB may need to surpass prior expectations based on their performance under dead ball conditions.
Mailbag Questions! Future NPB to MLB Postings? Japan's WBC Chances?
Q: What do you think regarding Japan's WBC chances?
Japan is one of the strongest teams, but they are not the favorites and will rely heavily on their pitching and hitting to withstand competition from stronger lineups like Team USA.
Mailbag Questions! Future NPB to MLB Postings? Japan's WBC Chances?
Q: How can DNA adjust to life without Anthony Kay?
Yutaro Ishida has the highest upside to fill the gap left by Anthony Kay, alongside other pitchers returning to form.
Mailbag Questions! Future NPB to MLB Postings? Japan's WBC Chances?
Q: What are the expectations for Carter Stewart Jr in his final season under contract?
Carter Stewart Jr. is expected to still be a top pitcher, possibly in the top 25 or 30 of NPB, though he might need time to regain his peak performance after missing a full season due to injury.
Murakami, Imai, Okamoto Sign MLB Deals + Samurai Japan WBC Preview
Q: Who's going to win the WBC?
I would lean the DR, but I do think the US kind of has an inside track.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Talking Yakyu

What is Talking Yakyu about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Two hosts lens into Japanese baseball with a strong emphasis on Nippon Professional Baseball, Samurai Japan's World Baseball Classic run, and pathways to MLB for Japanese stars. Episodes blend data-driven analysis, scouting insights, and industry context to compare teams, players, and tactical decisions across NPB, MLB, and international play, often without guests. Notable strengths include rigorous numeric context, cross-league considerations, and a clear focus on how signs, signings, and development shape futures for players and teams alike, making it a solid pick for listeners who want strategic, numbers-backed baseball coverage and visibility into the international talent pipeline.

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How many listeners does Talking Yakyu get?

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How many subscribers and views does Talking Yakyu have?

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Which podcasts are similar to Talking Yakyu?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Talking Yakyu:

1. Baseball Bar-B-Cast
2. Effectively Wild: A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast
3. Triple Click
4. Chapo Trap House
5. Fair Territory with Ken Rosenthal

How many episodes of Talking Yakyu are there?

Talking Yakyu launched 9 months ago and published 19 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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