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The 2013 Nippon Professional Baseball season wrapped up early Sunday morning, as the Rakuten Golden Eagles defeated the Yomiuri Giants 3-0 in Game 7 at Kleenex Miyagi Stadium to clinch the Japanese championship. A familiar face was in the starting lineup for the new champs, as Casey McGehee went 1-for-4 while batting fifth and playing third base. McGehee was a Brewer from 2009-11.
McGehee was one of several players whose names you'll likely recognize on Rakuten: His teammates included former big leaguers Andruw Jones and Kazuo Matsui and 2011 Brewers teammate Takashi Saito. McGehee appeared in 144 regular season games in Japan's Pacific League, hitting .292/.376/.515 with 28 home runs. Those 28 homers were tied for the second most in the JPPL.
The championship was Rakuten's first ever. Yomiuri, who they edged out, leads all Japanese teams with 22 championships.
McGehee and Saito weren't the only 2011 Brewers playing in Japan this season: Nyjer Morgan also appeared in 108 games for the Yokohama Bay Stars and hit .294/.361/.434 with eleven home runs.