Pioneering Mascot Superstars. As Japan moves on into late summer, and the players of Nippon Professional Baseball’s leagues have their eyes on the fall end of the season despite the lingering heat.

Yes, you read that right. The same smiling face that greets you at your local KFC became a specter of doom for the Hanshin Tigers, one of Japan’s most beloved baseball teams.

The Tokyo Yakult Swallows employee who portrayed the team’s beloved mascot Tsubakuro has died, the Central League club announced on Wednesday.

TOKYO -- Japan's professional baseball team the Tokyo Yakult Swallows announced Feb. 19 that the person who performs as the club's popular mascot Tsubakuro had passed away.

The Tokyo Yakult Swallows employee whose humor and quick wit made Tsubakuro one of the most popular mascots in Japanese professional baseball has died, the team said Feb. 19.

TOKYO — Major League Baseball’s regular season kicked off Tuesday with an opening pitch thrown from halfway around the world. The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Chicago Cubs 4-1 in the first of ...