List of Chunichi Dragons seasons
The Chunichi Dragons are a professional baseball team based in Nagoya, the chief city in the Chūbu region of Japan. The team plays in the Central League of Nippon Professional Baseball. They began play as Nagoya Club in 1936. The team went through a variety of short-lived names: Sangyo Club (1944), Chubu Nippon (1946), Chubu Nippon Dragons (1947), Chunichi Dragons (1948–1950), Nagoya Dragons (1951–1953) before rebranding permanently to the Chunichi Dragons in 1954.
The Dragons have won the Japan Series two times (1954, 2007), tenth most among all current twelve NPB teams. They have won the Central League pennant nine times, most recently in 2011. Since the Climax Series era began for the Central League in 2007, the Dragons have appeared in the playoffs six times.
Table key
| W | Number of regular season wins |
|---|---|
| L | Number of regular season losses |
| T | Number of regular season ties |
| GB | Games behind from league's first-place team[a] |
| ROY | Central League Rookie of the Year Award |
| MVP | Central League Most Valuable Player Award |
| ESA | Eiji Sawamura Award |
| MSA | Matsutaro Shoriki Award |
| Series MVP | Japan Series Most Valuable Player Award |
| FSA | Fighting Spirit Award |
Season-by-season records
| Japan Series Champions (1950–present) † |
Central League Pennant (1950–present) |
Central League Regular Season Champions (1950–present) ^ |
Climax Series Berth (2007–present) ¤ |
| Season[1] | League | Finish | Wins | Losses | Ties | Win% | GB | Playoffs | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chunichi Dragons | |||||||||
| 1936 | JBL | [B] | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | |||
| Autumn 1936 | JBL | [B] | 12 | 14 | 0 | .462 | |||
| Spring 1937 | JBL | 7th | 21 | 35 | 0 | .375 | 21 | ||
| Autumn 1937 | JBL | 8th | 13 | 33 | 3 | .283 | 25 | ||
| Spring 1938 | JBL | 7th | 11 | 24 | 0 | .314 | 18 | ||
| Autumn 1938 | JBL | 4th | 19 | 18 | 3 | .514 | 10 | ||
| 1939 | JBL | 6th | 38 | 53 | 5 | .418 | 27.5 | ||
| 1940 | JBL | 5th | 58 | 41 | 5 | .586 | 15.5 | ||
| 1941 | JBL | 6th | 37 | 47 | 0 | .440 | 25 | ||
| 1942 | JBL | 7th | 39 | 60 | 6 | .394 | 33.5 | ||
| 1943 | JBL | 2nd | 48 | 29 | 7 | .623 | 4 | ||
| 1944 | JBL | 4th | 13 | 21 | 1 | .382 | 14.5 | ||
| 1945 | No league play because of World War II | ||||||||
| 1946 | JBL | 7th | 42 | 60 | 3 | .412 | 22.5 | ||
| 1947 | JBL | 2nd | 67 | 50 | 2 | .573 | 12.5 | ||
| 1948 | JBL | 8th | 52 | 83 | 5 | .385 | 34.5 | ||
| 1949 | JBL | 5th | 66 | 68 | 3 | .493 | 19.5 | ||
| 1950 | Central | 2nd | 89 | 44 | 4 | .669 | 9 | ||
| 1951 | Central | 2nd | 62 | 48 | 3 | .564 | 18 | Shigeru Sugishita (ESA) | |
| 1952 | Central | 3rd | 75 | 43 | 2 | .636 | 7 | Shigeru Sugishita (ESA) | |
| 1953 | Central | 3rd | 70 | 57 | 3 | .551 | 18.5 | ||
| 1954 | Central | 1st | 86 | 40 | 4 | .683 | — | Won Japan Series (Lions) 4–3 | Shigeru Sugishita (MVP) Shigeru Sugishita (Series MVP) Shigeru Sugishita (ESA) |
| 1955 | Central | 2nd | 71 | 57 | 2 | .597 | 15 | ||
| 1956 | Central | 3rd | 74 | 56 | 0 | .569 | 10 | ||
| 1957 | Central | 3rd | 70 | 57 | 3 | .550 | 4 | ||
| 1958 | Central | 3rd | 66 | 59 | 5 | .527 | 9 | ||
| 1959 | Central | 2nd | 64 | 61 | 5 | .512 | 13 | ||
| 1960 | Central | 5th | 63 | 67 | 0 | .485 | 9 | ||
| 1961 | Central | 2nd | 72 | 56 | 2 | .562 | 1 | Hiroshi Gondo (ROY) Hiroshi Gondo (ESA) | |
| 1962 | Central | 3rd | 70 | 60 | 3 | .538 | 5 | ||
| 1963 | Central | 2nd | 80 | 57 | 3 | .584 | 2.5 | ||
| 1964 | Central | 6th | 57 | 83 | 0 | .407 | 25 | ||
| 1965 | Central | 2nd | 77 | 59 | 4 | .566 | 13 | ||
| 1966 | Central | 2nd | 76 | 54 | 2 | .585 | 13 | ||
| 1967 | Central | 2nd | 72 | 58 | 4 | .554 | 12 | Kentaro Ogawa (ESA) | |
| 1968 | Central | 6th | 50 | 80 | 4 | .385 | 27 | ||
| 1969 | Central | 4th | 59 | 65 | 6 | .476 | 14 | ||
| 1970 | Central | 5th | 55 | 70 | 5 | .440 | 23.5 | Kenichi Yazawa (ROY) | |
| 1971 | Central | 2nd | 65 | 60 | 5 | .520 | 6.5 | ||
| 1972 | Central | 3rd | 67 | 59 | 4 | .532 | 7 | ||
| 1973 | Central | 3rd | 64 | 61 | 5 | .512 | 1.5 | ||
| 1974 | Central | 1st | 70 | 49 | 11 | .588 | — | Lost Japan Series (Orions) 4–2 | Yukio Fujinami (ROY) Senichi Hoshino (ESA) |
| 1975 | Central | 2nd | 69 | 53 | 8 | .566 | 4.5 | ||
| 1976 | Central | 4th | 54 | 66 | 10 | .450 | 21.5 | Yasushi Tao (ROY) | |
| 1977 | Central | 3rd | 64 | 61 | 5 | .512 | 15.5 | ||
| 1978 | Central | 5th | 53 | 71 | 6 | .427 | 20 | ||
| 1979 | Central | 3rd | 59 | 57 | 14 | .509 | 7.5 | Kimiya Fujisawa (ROY) | |
| 1980 | Central | 6th | 45 | 76 | 9 | .372 | 30 | ||
| 1981 | Central | 5th | 58 | 65 | 7 | .472 | 16 | ||
| 1982 | Central | 1st | 64 | 47 | 19 | .577 | — | Lost Japan Series (Lions) 4–2 | Takayoshi Nakao (MVP) |
| 1983 | Central | 5th | 54 | 69 | 7 | .439 | 18.5 | ||
| 1984 | Central | 2nd | 73 | 49 | 8 | .598 | 3 | ||
| 1985 | Central | 5th | 56 | 61 | 13 | .479 | 15 | Tatsuo Komatsu (ESA) | |
| 1986 | Central | 5th | 54 | 67 | 9 | .446 | 20 | ||
| 1987 | Central | 2nd | 68 | 51 | 11 | .571 | 8 | ||
| 1988 | Central | 1st | 79 | 46 | 5 | .632 | — | Lost Japan Series (Lions) 4–1 | Genji Kaku (MVP) Kazuyoshi Tatsunami (ROY) |
| 1989 | Central | 3rd | 68 | 59 | 3 | .535 | 15.5 | ||
| 1990 | Central | 4th | 62 | 68 | 1 | .477 | 26 | Tsuyoshi Yoda (ROY) | |
| 1991 | Central | 2nd | 74 | 56 | 2 | .546 | 3 | Koichi Morita (ROY) | |
| 1992 | Central | 6th | 60 | 70 | 0 | .462 | 9 | ||
| 1993 | Central | 2nd | 73 | 57 | 2 | .562 | 7 | Shinji Imanaka (ESA) | |
| 1994 | Central | 2nd | 69 | 61 | 0 | .531 | 1 | [D] | Masahiro Yamamoto (ESA) |
| 1995 | Central | 5th | 50 | 80 | 0 | .385 | 32 | ||
| 1996 | Central | 2nd | 72 | 58 | 0 | .554 | 5 | ||
| 1997 | Central | 6th | 59 | 76 | 1 | .437 | 24 | ||
| 1998 | Central | 2nd | 75 | 60 | 1 | .556 | 4 | Kenshin Kawakami (ROY) | |
| 1999 | Central | 1st | 81 | 54 | 0 | .600 | — | Lost Japan Series (Hawks) 4–1 | Shigeki Noguchi (MVP) |
| 2000 | Central | 2nd | 70 | 65 | 0 | .519 | 8 | ||
| 2001 | Central | 5th | 62 | 74 | 4 | .456 | 15 | ||
| 2002 | Central | 3rd | 69 | 66 | 5 | .511 | 15.5 | ||
| 2003 | Central | 2nd | 73 | 66 | 1 | .525 | 14.5 | ||
| 2004 | Central | 1st | 79 | 56 | 3 | .585 | – | Lost Japan Series (Lions) 4–3 | Kenshin Kawakami (MVP) Kenshin Kawakami (ESA) |
| 2005 | Central | 2nd | 79 | 66 | 1 | .545 | 10 | ||
| 2006 | Central | 1st | 87 | 54 | 5 | .617 | – | Lost Japan Series (Fighters) 4–1 | Kosuke Fukudome (MVP) |
| 2007 | Central | 2nd | 78 | 64 | 2 | .549 | 1.5 | Won Climax Series First Stage (Tigers) 2–0 Won Climax Series Final Stage (Giants) 3–0D Won Japan Series (Fighters) 4–1 |
Norihiro Nakamura (Series MVP) Hiromitsu Ochiai (MSA) |
| 2008 | Central | 3rd | 71 | 68 | 5 | .511 | 12 | Won Climax Series First Stage (Tigers) 2–1 Lost Climax Series Final Stage (Giants) 3–1e | |
| 2009 | Central | 2nd | 81 | 62 | 1 | .566 | 12 | Won Climax Series First Stage (Swallows) 2–1 Lost Climax Series Final Stage (Giants) 4–1e | |
| 2010 | Central | 1st | 79 | 62 | 3 | .560 | – | Won Climax Series Final Stage (Giants) 4–1e Lost Japan Series (Marines) 4–2–1 |
Kazuhiro Wada (MVP) |
| 2011 | Central | 1st | 75 | 59 | 10 | .560 | – | Won Climax Series Final Stage (Swallows) 4–2 Lost Japan Series (Hawks) 4–3e |
Takuya Asao (MVP) |
| 2012 | Central | 2nd | 75 | 53 | 16 | .586 | 10.5 | Won Climax Series First Stage (Swallows) 2–1 Lost Climax Series Final Stage (Giants) 4–3e | |
| 2013 | Central | 4th | 64 | 77 | 3 | .454 | 22 | ||
| 2014 | Central | 4th | 67 | 73 | 4 | .479 | 13.5 | ||
| 2015 | Central | 5th | 62 | 77 | 4 | .446 | 13 | ||
| 2016 | Central | 6th | 58 | 82 | 3 | .414 | 30.5 | ||
| 2017 | Central | 5th | 59 | 79 | 5 | .428 | 28.5 | Yota Kyoda (ROY) | |
| 2018 | Central | 5th | 63 | 78 | 2 | .447 | 19 | ||
| 2019 | Central | 5th | 68 | 73 | 2 | .482 | 9 | ||
| 2020 | Central | 3rd | 60 | 55 | 5 | .522 | 8.5 | [F] | Yūdai Ōno (ESA) |
| 2021 | Central | 5th | 55 | 71 | 17 | .437 | 18.5 | ||
| 2022 | Central | 6th | 66 | 75 | 2 | .468 | 15 | ||
| 2023 | Central | 6th | 56 | 82 | 5 | .406 | 29 | ||
| 2024 | Central | 6th | 60 | 75 | 8 | .444 | 16.5 | ||
| 2025 | Central | 4th | 63 | 78 | 2 | .447 | 23 | ||
References
Notes
a This is determined by calculating the difference in wins plus the difference in losses divided by two.
B Records for 1936 seasons are incomplete.
C Both the Dragons and the Yomiuri Giants were 69–60 before the 130th and final game of the season. In the 1994 Central League tie-breaker game, otherwise known as the "10.8 deciding match", the Giants won 6–3.
- D The 2007 Central Climax Series Final Stage was the first and only time the regular season champion did not have a one-win advantage.
- e Beginning in 2008, the final stage of the Climax Series awards the regular season champion an automatic one-win advantage that meant they only had to win three games on the field to advance to the Japan Series.
F Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Central League decided to send the regular season champion to the Japan Series directly with no Climax Series playoff.