Hiroki Kokubo Wins Second Straight Shoriki Award
Hiroki Kokubo won the 2026 Shoriki Award after guiding the SoftBank Hawks to a third straight Pacific League pennant and back-to-back Japan Series titles.
World Baseball News Editorial Team , 2 min read 
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks manager Hiroki Kokubo has won the 2026 Matsutaro Shoriki Award, becoming only the third person to receive Japanese professional baseball’s top annual honor in consecutive years. The award followed a season in which Kokubo led SoftBank to a third straight Pacific League pennant and a second consecutive Japan Series championship.
- Award: 2026 Matsutaro Shoriki Award
- Winner: Hiroki Kokubo, Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks manager
- Team record: 91-49-3
- Postseason: Seven straight wins across the Climax Series and Japan Series
Kokubo rewarded for a dominant Hawks season
NPB announced the decision on Wednesday, November 4, after the selection committee met in Tokyo. The Shoriki Award recognizes the manager, player or other figure judged to have contributed most significantly to the development of professional baseball in Japan during the season.
Kokubo’s case was built on control from April through the final out of the Japan Series. SoftBank finished 91-49-3, won the Pacific League by 11.5 games over the Seibu Lions and completed the postseason without a loss.
The Hawks swept the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in the Climax Series Final Stage before beating the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in four straight Japan Series games. That run secured SoftBank’s second consecutive Japanese championship and completed the franchise’s first three-peat of Pacific League titles since relocating to Fukuoka.
Back-to-back award puts Kokubo in rare company
Kokubo also received the Shoriki Award in 2025. By winning again, the 55-year-old joined Ichiro Suzuki and former Hawks manager Kimiyasu Kudo as the only people to claim the honor in consecutive years.
The 2026 award was the 50th presented since it was established in 1977 in memory of Matsutaro Shoriki, the founder of the Yomiuri Giants and a central figure in the development of professional baseball in Japan.
Selection committee members emphasized SoftBank’s consistency through the pennant race and Kokubo’s ability to close tight postseason games. The first three games of the Japan Series went to extra innings, but the Hawks won all three before completing the sweep.
Kokubo shares the honor with the Hawks organization
In a statement released through the club, Kokubo thanked the players, staff, front office and supporters, describing the award as recognition of the organization’s collective strength rather than an individual achievement.
SoftBank combined established stars with an emerging young core throughout its championship run. The season ended with another league title, an undefeated postseason and a second straight Shoriki Award for the manager responsible for holding those pieces together.
