The best team in the National League? For two days in Japan, it's looked like the Hanshin Tigers

TOKYO (AP) — For two days in Japan, it's the Hanshin Tigers who have have looked like the class of the National League.

In another sign that Japanese baseball has never been better, the Tigers capped a two-game exhibition sweep over MLB clubs with a 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday at the Tokyo Dome.

Even more impressive, the Tigers didn't give up a run in either game. Daichi Ishii recorded the final out, freezing James Outman for strike three on a 95 mph fastball to cap 18 scoreless innings in a row.

“These two days were priceless,” Hanshin manager Kyuji Fujikawa said through an interpreter.

Hanshin tagged two-time Cy Young award winner Blake Snell for three runs in the fourth inning when the first two batters reached base before Teruaki Sato smoked a three-run homer into the right-field seats, where a jubliant Tigers' fan club erupted in celebration.

On the mound, right-hander Hiroto Saiki threw five dominant innings, giving up just one hit and one walk while striking out seven. Saiki struck out Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani to start the game and then coaxed a harmless popup from the slugger in the fourth.

“Really good ballclub,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I thought they played really good defense. They can handle velocity — good with the fastball. The starter (Saiki) had major-league stuff. Good command, good split. And then Sato, he looks the part, he's a really impressive baseball player.”

Saiki was one of the best pitchers in Japan last season, finishing with a 13-3 record and a 1.88 ERA over 167 2/3 innings. The Tigers had a 74-63 record last season, which was good for second place in Japan's Central League.

The Tigers started the two-game sweep with a 3-0 win over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday after 20-year-old lefty Keito Mombetsu threw five perfect innings. No Cubs reached base until Miguel Amaya smacked a single through the infield in the sixth that just got past the shortstop.

Hanshin also dominated on the basepaths against the Cubs, going 3 for 3 on stolen base attempts.

“They clearly showed they can play at the top level,” Roberts said.

Japanese players have made a huge mark on MLB, particularly over the past three decades. Former Mariners star Ichiro Suzuki was recently elected to the Hall of Fame and this week's Tokyo Series features five Japanese players, including three on the Dodgers with Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki.

Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga play for the Cubs.

The Tigers and Yomiuri Giants have played exhibition games against the Cubs and Dodgers in Japan over the past two days as part of the Tokyo Series. The Cubs and Dodgers open the regular season against each other on Tuesday at the Tokyo Dome.

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Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani flies out against the Hanshin Tigers during the third inning in an MLB Japan Series exhibition baseball game, Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

Hanshin Tigers' Teruaki Sato runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fourth inning in an MLB Japan Series exhibition baseball game, Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Fans cheer after Hanshin Tigers' Teruaki Sato hit a three-run home run during the fourth inning in an MLB Japan Series exhibition baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Tigers, Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Hanshin Tigers' Teruaki Sato (8) celebrates after hitting a three-run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fourth inning in an MLB Japan Series exhibition baseball game, Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

Hanshin Tigers pitcher Hiroto Saiki works against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fifth inning in an MLB Japan Series exhibition baseball game, Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

French President Emmanuel Macron has fleshed out some possible missions that could be undertaken by a military support force for Ukraine that Paris and London are working to put together with other nations, in a so-called “coalition of the willing” that could deploy after any ceasefire with Russia.

Speaking to French media ahead of an online summit that the U.K. hosted on Saturday, Macron said the French-British blueprint doesn’t aim to deploy a “mass” of soldiers in Ukraine and instead envisages stationing troop contingents in key locations.

Macron’s office said Sunday that it couldn’t provide a recording of the French leader’s exchange with reporters from regional French newspapers on Friday night.

But according to La Dépêche du Midi and Le Parisien, the French president spoke of participating nations each deploying several thousand troops to “key points” in Ukraine. Their missions could include providing training and supporting Ukrainian defenses, to demonstrate long-term support for Kyiv, the reports quoted Macron as saying.

Macron added that the proposed contingents from countries that are members of the NATO alliance would serve as “a guarantee of security” for Ukraine and that “several European nations, and also non-European, have expressed their willingness to join such an effort when it is confirmed,” La Dépêche reported.

Le Parisien cited Macron as saying that Moscow’s agreement wasn't needed for such deployment. “Ukraine is sovereign. If it asks for Allied forces to be on its territory, it’s not up to Russia to accept or not," he said.

Following Saturday’s two-hour virtual meeting, Starmer challenged Russian President Vladimir Putin to sign up to a ceasefire in its war against Ukraine if he is serious about peace, and said allies will keep increasing the pressure on the Kremlin, including by moving planning for a peacekeeping force to an “operational phase.”

Around 30 leaders were involved in the call, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and leaders from Australia, Canada and New Zealand, as well as officials from NATO and the European Union.

It was the second such meeting in two weeks, meant to help Ukraine face a change of approach by the U.S. following the return of President Donald Trump, as well as gauging support for any future possible peacekeeping mission. Many more countries were involved this time than the previous meeting on March 2.

According to Starmer, military planners will convene again in the U.K. on Thursday to progress practical plans to support Ukraine’s future security.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a briefing in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks at a press conference following this morning's virtual summit video conference at 10 Downing Street in London, England, March 15, 2025. (Leon Neal/Pool Photo via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron, second left, , shakes hands with Colonel-General Ruslan Khomchak, First Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, as French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu, right, and Chief of Staff of the French Armed Forces Thierry Burkhard, left, look on during a meeting on the conflict in Ukraine at the Musee de la Marine as part of the Paris Defense and Strategy Forum in Paris, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (Sarah Meyssonnier/Pool via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron attends an official welcome ceremony for Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the Invalides monument in Paris Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP)