View source for Saitama Seibu Lions

{{Short description|Nippon Professional Baseball team in the Pacific League}}
{{Multiple issues|{{One source|date=August 2016}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2008}}
{{Update|date=December 2023}}}}
{{Infobox baseball team
| name                = Saitama Seibu Lions
| logo = Saitama_seibu_lions_emblem.svg
| cap_logo            = Seibu lions insignia.svg
| league = '''[[Nippon Professional Baseball]]'''
:{{nowrap|'''[[Pacific League]] (1950–present)'''}}
| location = [[Tokorozawa, Saitama|Tokorozawa]], [[Saitama Prefecture|Saitama]], [[Japan]]
| stadium = [[Belluna Dome]]
| founded = {{start date and age|1949|11|26}}
| nickname = ''Shishi'' (獅子, lion)
| former_names        ={{plainlist|
*Seibu Lions (1979–2007)
*Crown Lighter Lions (1977–1978)
*Taiheiyo Club Lions (1973–1976)
*Nishitetsu Lions (1951–1972)
*Nishitetsu Clippers (1950)}}
| league_champ_type   = PL pennants
| league_champs       = '''23''' ([[1954 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1954]], [[1956 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1956]], [[1957 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1957]], [[1958 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1958]], [[1963 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1963]], [[1982 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1982]], [[1983 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1983]], [[1985 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1985]], [[1986 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1986]], [[1987 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1987]], [[1988 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1988]], [[1990 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1990]], [[1991 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1991]], [[1992 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1992]], [[1993 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1993]], [[1994 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1994]], [[1997 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1997]], [[1998 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1998]], [[2002 Nippon Professional Baseball season|2002]], [[2004 Nippon Professional Baseball season|2004]], [[2008 Nippon Professional Baseball season|2008]], [[2018 Nippon Professional Baseball season|2018]], [[2019 Nippon Professional Baseball season|2019]])
| series = [[Japan Series]]
| series_champs = '''13''' ([[1956 Japan Series|1956]], [[1957 Japan Series|1957]], [[1958 Japan Series|1958]], [[1982 Japan Series|1982]], [[1983 Japan Series|1983]], [[1986 Japan Series|1986]], [[1987 Japan Series|1987]], [[1988 Japan Series|1988]], [[1990 Japan Series|1990]], [[1991 Japan Series|1991]], [[1992 Japan Series|1992]], [[2004 Japan Series|2004]], [[2008 Japan Series|2008]])
| former_ballparks = {{plainlist|
*[[Heiwadai Stadium]] (1950–1978)}}
| colors = Legend Blue, Lions Blue, Black, Red, White<ref>{{cite web | url=https://store.seibulions.jp/shop/pg/1lions-authentic-uniform/#:~:text=3%E8%89%B2%E3%81%AE%E3%82%AB%E3%83%A9%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AA%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B0,%E3%81%AF%E6%88%A6%E3%81%84%E3%81%AB%E6%8C%91%E3%81%BF%E3%81%BE%E3%81%99%E3%80%82 | title=Authentic Collection &#124; 埼玉西武ライオンズ公式オンラインショップ }}</ref><br />{{color box|#102951}} {{color box|0065b3}} {{color box|black}} {{color box|ab0008}} {{color box|white}}
| mascot = Leo and Lina
| manager = [[Fumiya Nishiguchi]]
| berths = '''13''' ([[1982 Pacific League Playoffs|1982]], [[2004 Pacific League Playoffs|2004]], [[2005 Pacific League Playoffs|2005]], [[2006 Pacific League Playoffs|2006]], [[2008 Pacific League Climax Series|2008]], [[2010 Pacific League Climax Series|2010]], [[2011 Pacific League Climax Series|2011]], [[2012 Pacific League Climax Series|2012]], [[2013 Pacific League Climax Series|2013]], [[2017 Pacific League Climax Series|2017]], [[2018 Pacific League Climax Series|2018]], [[2019 Pacific League Climax Series|2019]], [[2022 Pacific League Climax Series|2022]])
| retired_numbers = {{hlist|[[Kazuhisa Inao|24]]}}
| owner = [[Takashi Goto]]
| management = [[Seibu Railway]]
| uniform             = [[File:Saitama Seibu Lions uniforms.png|center|175px]]
|native_name=埼玉西武ライオンズ|native_name_lang=ja}}

The {{Nihongo|'''Saitama Seibu Lions'''|埼玉西武ライオンズ|Saitama Seibu Raionzu}} are a [[professional baseball]] team in Japan's [[Pacific League]] based north of [[Tokyo]] in [[Tokorozawa, Saitama|Tokorozawa]], [[Saitama Prefecture]]. Before 1979, they were based in [[Fukuoka]], [[Fukuoka Prefecture]] in [[Kyushu]]. The team is owned by a subsidiary of [[Seibu Railway]], which in turn is owned by the [[Seibu Holdings]]. The team experienced a recent period of financial difficulty, but the situation brightened when the team received a record [[yen|¥]]6 billion (about [[USD|$]]51.11 million) [[Posting system|posting fee]] from the [[Boston Red Sox]] for the right to negotiate a contract with [[Daisuke Matsuzaka]]. Between 1978 and 2008, the team logo and mascot were based on the adult version of [[Kimba the White Lion]], a classic Japanese [[anime]] and [[manga]] series by [[Osamu Tezuka]].{{efn|Although many fans, team officials, and members of the press consider the mascot to be a variation of Kimba, Tezuka has stated that it is based on Panja (Caesar), the father of Kimba.{{Citation needed|date=December 2007}}}}{{efn|The Lions adopted a new mascot for the 2009 season.{{Citation needed|date=January 2009}}}} In 2004, former Seibu Lions player [[Kazuo Matsui]] became the first Japanese infielder to play in [[Major League Baseball]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20060609&content_id=1497193&vkey=pr_col&fext=.jsp&c_id=col |title=Rockies acquire infielder Kazuo Matsui and cash considerations from New York Mets in exchange for outfielder Eli Marrero |website=Newyork.mets.mlb.com |access-date=2016-08-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308004400/http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20060609&content_id=1497193&vkey=pr_col&fext=.jsp&c_id=col |archive-date=2016-03-08 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Franchise history==
===Nishitetsu Clippers (1950)===
In 1950, the team became a founding member of the [[Pacific League]]. It was then owned by a private railroad company [[Nishi-Nippon Railroad]], well known as "Nishitetsu", which was based in [[Fukuoka Prefecture|Fukuoka]] in [[Kyushu]], the western area of Japan (Nishi-Nippon). The Clippers name was chosen as Nishitetsu was in charge of [[Pan Am|Pan American Airlines]]' Japanese operations (back then, Pan Am's jets were known as "Clippers" due to them being aeronautical [[Boeing 314 Clipper]]).<ref>{{Citation|title=How Every NPB Team got its Name (feat. The Yakyu Cosmopolitan)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZwF8HU1K4k|language=en|access-date=2022-02-08}}</ref> The team finished sixth that year, and at the end of the season, Nishitetsu was merged with another professional baseball club in Fukuoka, the [[Nishi Nippon Pirates|Nishi-Nippon Pirates]], which belonged to the [[Central League]] and managed by a local newspaper company the [[Nishinippon Shimbun]]. The new club was to form the '''Nishitetsu Lions'''. Thus the Lions name was adopted and has been retained up to today as the name of the franchise.

===Nishitetsu Lions (1951–1972)===
The Nishitetsu Lions called [[Heiwadai Stadium]] home for their entire existence. They were one of the most dominant teams in the Pacific League during the 1950s, winning four pennants, including three straight [[Japan Series]] against the [[Yomiuri Giants]] behind famed manager [[Osamu Mihara]]; their last championship in Fukuoka came in 1958; after which Mihara left for the Taiyo Whales and led them to a Japan Series championship over the Daimai Orions in 1960.

The team struggled through the following decade and did not witness much success on the field. In 1969 and 1970, the team was caught up in the infamous [[The Black Mist Scandal (Japanese baseball)|Black Mist game-fixing scandal]], which resulted in four Lions pitchers being banned from NPB for life, as well as other players receiving lesser punishments. These losses decimated the team which the team would not recover from for the rest of their time in Fukuoka, which finished the 1970 season in last place.

After a third straight last-place finish, and with Nishi-Nippon not wanting to do with anything to the team due to the Black Mist Scandal, in November 1972, the franchise was sold to the [[Fukuoka Baseball Corporation]], a shell company within [[Nishi-Nippon Railroad]]. Following the sale, the team was renamed the '''Taiheiyo Club Lions'''.

===Taiheiyo Club Lions (1973–1976)===
Nishi-Nippon Railroad, founded by [[Nagayoshi Nakamura]], then owner of [[Lotte Corporation]] and the [[Chiba Lotte Marines|Orions]], sold the team's sponsorship rights to [[Taiheiyo Club]], a golf course and resort developer in 1973. The Lions, still smarting from the after-effects of the Black Mist Scandal, finished no higher than third throughout the 1970s.

===Crown Lighter Lions (1977–1978)===
At the end of the 1976 season, the Fukuoka Baseball Corporation announced that the team's new sponsor was [[Crown Gas Lighter]]. With this, the team's name for the upcoming season was changed to the '''Crown Lighter Lions'''. On October 25, 1978, the team was sold to Kokudo Keikaku (later Kokudo), and then merged into Prince Hotels.

===Seibu Lions (1979–2007)===
Following the sale of the Crown Lighter Lions and their merging into Prince Hotels, the team was renamed the '''Seibu Lions''' and relocated to a new ballpark northward in [[Tokorozawa, Saitama]], west of the Tokyo area. Fukuoka would be left without an NPB team until {{npby|1989}}, when the erstwhile [[Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks|Nankai Hawks]] were bought by [[Daiei]] (they are now owned by the [[SoftBank Group]]) and moved to the Lions' former stadium, [[Heiwadai Stadium]].

====Golden Age (1982–1994)====
The Lions finished in last place in {{npby|1979}} (something the team would not do again until {{npby|2021}}), and finished in fourth place in {{npby|1980}} and {{npby|1981}}. However, the following seasons would mark the beginning of a period of sustained success for the team under new manager [[Tatsuro Hirooka]] and with star players such as [[Osamu Higashio]] and [[Kōichi Tabuchi]]. Tatsuro Hirooka told the players that meat and other animal foods increase athletes' susceptibility to injury, and decrease their ability to perform. He required all players to take up a strictly [[Vegetarianism|vegetarian diet]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160312100346/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1144&dat=19840415&id=XJMcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=92IEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3993,11108629&hl=en "The Veggie Baseball Team,"] ''Parade Magazine'' (April 15, 1984).</ref> The club won consecutive [[Japan Series]] in {{npby|1982}} and {{npby|1983}}, and went to the [[1985 Japan Series|Japan Series]] again in {{npby|1985}}, but lost to the [[Hanshin Tigers]], who won their first Japan Series title. That Japan Series was also notable for the Tigers also breaking tradition by becoming the first Central League club to use the designated hitter during the Japan Series, prior to the NPB requiring its use during the Japan Series in Pacific League stadiums in 1990 (with it eventually being also used in [[Interleague play (NPB)|interleague play]] when it was introduced in 2005).

Following the 1986 season, the club replaced Hirooka with [[Masaaki Mori (baseball)|Masaaki Mori]], who was able to sustain the team's prolonged success. Mori won eight league championships, between 1986 and 1988 and 1990–1994, and six Japan Series championships in his nine-year managing career, winning the Japan Series in [[1986 Japan Series|1986]], [[1987 Japan Series|1987]], [[1988 Japan Series|1988]], [[1990 Japan Series|1990]], [[1991 Japan Series|1991]], and [[1992 Japan Series|1992]].

The team gained the moniker "Invincible Seibu" during the 1980s and 1990s due to their sustained domination of the league. The Lions had a powerful lineup in this period, loaded with sluggers such as [[Koji Akiyama]], [[Kazuhiro Kiyohara]] and [[Orestes Destrade]]. Their defense also benefited from the services of skilled players such as [[Hiromichi Ishige]], [[Romeo Calhoun]], [[Hatsuhiko Tsuji]] and catcher [[Tsutomu Ito]]. Among the pitchers employed by the Lions in this period was "The Oriental Express" [[Tai-Yuan Kuo|Taigen Kaku]], [[Kimiyasu Kudoh]], [[Hisanobu Watanabe]], and relievers [[Yoshitaka Katori]] and [[Tetsuya Shiozaki]].

===== Prominent Golden Age Players =====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
!Name!!position!!Title and accomplishment!!Note
|-
|[[Koji Akiyama]]||[[Center fielder|CF]]||[[Home run|Home Run title]] 1987, [[Stolen base|Stolen Base title]] 1990, Golden Glove 1987–1996, 1999<br />437 HR and 303 SB in career||Belonged to [[Fukuoka Daiei Hawks]] from 1994 to 2002. Hawks manager from 2009 to 2014.
|-
|[[Kazuhiro Kiyohara]]||[[First baseman|1B]]||[[Rookie of the Year (award)|Rookie of the year]] 1986, Golden Glove (1988,1990, 1992–1994),<br />525 HR and 1527 RBIs in career||Belonged to [[Yomiuri Giants]] from 1997 to 2005, [[Orix Buffaloes]] from 2006 to 2008.  Retired in 2008.
|-
|[[Orestes Destrade]]||[[Designated hitter|DH]]||[[Home run|Home Run title]] 1990–1992, [[Run batted in|RBI Title]] 1990–1991||Played 1993–1994 seasons with [[Florida Marlins]] of MLB.
|-
|[[Hiromichi Ishige]]||[[Shortstop|SS]]||[[Rookie of the Year (award)|Rookie of the year]], Golden Glove 1981–1983, 1985–1988, 1991–1993, [[Most valuable player|MVP]] 1986||Manager of [[Orix BlueWave]] from 2002 to 2003.
|-
|[[Hatsuhiko Tsuji]]||[[Second baseman|2B]]||[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting title]] 1993, Golden Glove 1986, 1988–1994||Played for [[Yakult Swallows]] in 1996, retired after '96 season. Current Lions manager.
|-
|[[Tsutomu Ito]]||[[Catcher|C]]||Golden Glove 1985–1988, 1990–1992, 1994–1995, 1997–1998||Retired in 2003, Lions manager from 2004 to 2007, Marines manager from 2013 to 2017. Current [[Chunichi Dragons]] head coach.
|-
|[[Hisanobu Watanabe]]||[[Pitcher|P]]||[[Win (baseball)|Winning Percentage title]] 1986, 1988, 1990, [[Earned run average|ERA Title]] 1986, [[Strikeout|Strikeout title]] 1986, Golden Glove 1990, [[No-hitter]] 1996||Played for [[Yakult Swallows]] in 1998, retired from NPB after '98 season. Lions manager from 2008 to 2013.
|-
|[[Osamu Higashio]]||[[Pitcher|P]]||[[Win (baseball)|Wins Champion]] 1975,1983, [[Earned run average|ERA Title]] 1983, [[Strikeout|Strikeout title]] 1975, [[Most valuable player|MVP]] 1983, 1987, Golden Glove 1983–1987||Member of Lions through four different team owners (Nishitetsu, Taiheyo Club, Crown Lighter, Seibu). Lions manager from 1995 to 2001.
|-
|[[Terry Whitfield]]||[[Outfielder|OF]]||[[Best Nine Award]] 1981, 1983||
|-
|[[Steve Ontiveros (infielder)|Steve Ontiveros]]||[[third baseman|3B]]||[[On-base percentage|OBP]] 1983, 1984 [[Best Nine Award]] 1982, 1983||
|-
|[[Tai-Yuan Kuo|Taigen Kaku]]||[[Pitcher|P]]||[[Most valuable player|MVP]]1991, Golden Glove 1991–1992, [[No-hitter]] 1985||Retired in 1996. [[Taiwan]] national team manager 2007.
|-
|[[Kimiyasu Kudoh]]||[[Pitcher|P]]||[[Earned run average|ERA title]] 1985,1987,1993,1999, [[Win (baseball)|Winning Percentage Title]]1987,1991,1993,2000, [[Strikeout|Strikeout title]] 1996,1999, Golden Glove 1994–1995,2000, [[Most valuable player|MVP]] 1999, longest NPB career as player (28 years)||Belonged to [[Fukuoka Daiei Hawks]] from 1994, [[Yomiuri Giants]] from 2000, [[Yokohama BayStars]] from 2007 to 2009, returned to Lions in 2010. Only active player in "Golden Age" in 2010 season. Manager of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks from 2015 to 2021, winning 5 championships including 4 straight from 2017 to 2020.
|}

===Saitama Seibu Lions (2008–)===
In order to reinforce the affiliation between the team and their home region, the Lions added the prefecture name "Saitama" to their team name in 2008. They were Pacific League Champions that year and went on to win the [[2008 Japan Series|Japan Series]]. The team logo and uniforms were further modified for the [[2009 Nippon Professional Baseball season|2009 season]], with the team trading in their traditional light-blue colour scheme for a dark blue design similar to that employed during the Nishitetsu Lions era in the 1950s and 1960s. Between 2010 and 2019, the Lions made the Pacific League Climax Series 1st stage 5 times, (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017) but lost to the [[Chiba Lotte Marines]] in 2010 and 2013, the [[Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles]] in 2017, and to the [[Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks]] in 2011 and 2012. They made the Final Stage twice in back to back years in 2018 and 2019, but lost to the Hawks on both occasions. In 2020, the team finished in 3rd place, but was unable to make the playoffs. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pacific League removed the First Stage of the playoffs; only the top 2 teams in Pacific League made the playoffs, while Central League removed it entirely, instead opting to send the regular season champion ([[Yomiuri Giants]]) straight to the [[2020 Japan Series|Japan Series]]. In 2021, the Lions finished in 6th and last place for the first time since 1979 with a 55–70–18 record.

==Season-by-season records==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: left;"
!Year
!Team Name
!Finish
!Playoffs
|-
| 1950
| [[Nishitetsu Clippers]]
| 5th, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 1951
| [[Nishitetsu Lions]]
| 2nd, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 1952
| Nishitetsu Lions
| 3rd, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 1953
| Nishitetsu Lions
| 4th, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-! style="background:#fdd;"
| 1954
| Nishitetsu Lions
| 1st, Pacific
| Lost Japan Series (3–4, Dragons)
|-
| 1955
| Nishitetsu Lions
| 2nd, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-! style="background:#FDE910;"
| 1956
| Nishitetsu Lions
| 1st, Pacific
| Won Japan Series (4–2, Giants)
|-! style="background:#FDE910;"
| 1957
| Nishitetsu Lions
| 1st, Pacific
| Won Japan Series (4–0, Giants)
|-! style="background:#FDE910;"
| 1958
| Nishitetsu Lions
| 1st, Pacific
| Won Japan Series (4–3, Giants)
|-
| 1959
| Nishitetsu Lions
| 4th, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 1960
| Nishitetsu Lions
| 3rd, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 1961
| Nishitetsu Lions
| 3rd, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 1962
| Nishitetsu Lions
| 3rd, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-! style="background:#fdd;"
| 1963
| Nishitetsu Lions
| 1st, Pacific
| Lost Japan Series (3–4, Giants)
|-
| 1964
| Nishitetsu Lions
| 5th, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 1965
| Nishitetsu Lions
| 3rd, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 1966
| Nishitetsu Lions
| 2nd, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 1967
| Nishitetsu Lions
| 2nd, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 1968
| Nishitetsu Lions
| 5th, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 1969
| Nishitetsu Lions
| 5th, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 1970
| Nishitetsu Lions
| 6th, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 1971
| Nishitetsu Lions
| 6th, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 1972
| Nishitetsu Lions
| 6th, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 1973
| [[Taiheiyo Club Lions]]
| 4th, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 1974
| Taiheiyo Club Lions
| 4th, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 1975
| Taiheiyo Club Lions
| 3rd, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 1976
| Taiheiyo Club Lions
| 6th, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 1977
| [[Crown Lighter Lions]]
| 6th, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 1978
| Crown Lighter Lions
| 5th, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 1979
| [[Seibu Lions]]
| 6th, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 1980
| Seibu Lions
| 4th, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 1981
| Seibu Lions
| 4th, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-! style="background:#FDE910;"
| 1982
| Seibu Lions
| 1st, Pacific
| Won Japan Series (4–2, Dragons)
|-! style="background:#FDE910;"
| 1983
| Seibu Lions
| 1st, Pacific
| Won Japan Series (4–3, Giants)
|-
| 1984
| Seibu Lions
| 3rd, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-! style="background:#fdd;"
| 1985
| Seibu Lions
| 1st, Pacific
| Lost Japan Series (2–4, Tigers)
|-! style="background:#FDE910;"
| 1986
| Seibu Lions
| 1st, Pacific
| Won Japan Series (4–3, Carp)
|-! style="background:#FDE910;"
| 1987
| Seibu Lions
| 1st, Pacific
| Won Japan Series (4–2, Giants)
|-! style="background:#FDE910;"
| 1988
| Seibu Lions
| 1st, Pacific
| Won Japan Series (4–1, Dragons)
|-
| 1989
| Seibu Lions
| 3rd, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-! style="background:#FDE910;"
| 1990
| Seibu Lions
| 1st, Pacific
| Won Japan Series (4–0, Giants)
|-! style="background:#FDE910;"
| 1991
| Seibu Lions
| 1st, Pacific
| Won Japan Series (4–3, Carp)
|-! style="background:#FDE910;"
| 1992
| Seibu Lions
| 1st, Pacific
| Won Japan Series (4–3, Swallows)
|-! style="background:#fdd;"
| 1993
| Seibu Lions
| 1st, Pacific
| Lost Japan Series (3–4, Swallows)
|-! style="background:#fdd;"
| 1994
| Seibu Lions
| 1st, Pacific
| Lost Japan Series (2–4, Giants)
|-
| 1995
| Seibu Lions
| 3rd, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 1996
| Seibu Lions
| 3rd, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-! style="background:#fdd;"
| 1997
| Seibu Lions
| 1st, Pacific
| Lost Japan Series (1–4, Swallows)
|-! style="background:#fdd;"
| 1998
| Seibu Lions
| 1st, Pacific
| Lost Japan Series (2–4, BayStars)
|-
| 1999
| Seibu Lions
| 2nd, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 2000
| Seibu Lions
| 2nd, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 2001
| Seibu Lions
| 3rd, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-! style="background:#fdd;"
| 2002
| Seibu Lions
| 1st, Pacific
| Lost Japan Series (0–4, Giants)
|-
| 2003
| Seibu Lions
| 2nd, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-! style="background:#FDE910;"
| 2004
| Seibu Lions
| 1st, Pacific
| Won Japan Series (4–3, Dragons)
|-! style="background:#fdd;"
| 2005
| Seibu Lions
| 3rd, Pacific
| Lost CS First Stage (0–2, Marines)
|-! style="background:#fdd;"
| 2006
| Seibu Lions
| 2nd, Pacific
| Lost CS First Stage (1–2, Hawks)
|-
| 2007
| Seibu Lions
| 5th, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-! style="background:#FDE910;"
| 2008
| Saitama Seibu Lions
| 1st, Pacific
| Won Japan Series (4–3, Giants)
|-
| 2009
| Saitama Seibu Lions
| 4th, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-! style="background:#fdd;"
| 2010
| Saitama Seibu Lions
| 2nd, Pacific
| Lost CS First Stage (0–2, Marines)
|-! style="background:#fdd;"
| 2011
| Saitama Seibu Lions
| 3rd, Pacific
| Lost CS Final Stage (0–4, Hawks)
|-! style="background:#fdd;"
| 2012
| Saitama Seibu Lions
| 2nd, Pacific
| Lost CS First Stage (1–2, Hawks)
|-! style="background:#fdd;"
| 2013
| Saitama Seibu Lions
| 2nd, Pacific
| Lost CS First Stage (1–2, Marines)
|-
| 2014
| Saitama Seibu Lions
| 5th, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 2015
| Saitama Seibu Lions
| 4th, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 2016
| Saitama Seibu Lions
| 4th, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-! style="background:#fdd;"
| 2017
| Saitama Seibu Lions
| 2nd, Pacific
| Lost CS First Stage (1–2, Golden Eagles)
|-! style="background:#fdd;"
| 2018
| Saitama Seibu Lions
| 1st, Pacific
| Lost CS Final Stage (2–4, Hawks)
|-! style="background:#fdd;"
| 2019
| Saitama Seibu Lions
| 1st, Pacific
| Lost CS Final Stage (1–4, Hawks)
|-
| 2020
| Saitama Seibu Lions
| 3rd, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 2021
| Saitama Seibu Lions
| 6th, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-! style="background:#fdd;"
| 2022
| Saitama Seibu Lions
| 3rd, Pacific
| Lost CS First Stage (0–2, Hawks) 
|-
| 2023
| Saitama Seibu Lions
| 5th, Pacific
| Did not qualify
|-
| 2024
| Saitama Seibu Lions
| 6th, Pacific
| Did not qualify

|}

==Current roster==
{{Saitama Seibu Lions roster|state=expanded}}

==Managers==
{| Class="wikitable sortable"style="text-align:center;white-space:nowrap; font-size: small;"
!{{abbr|No.|Number}}
!Years<br />in office
!{{abbr|YR|Year}}
!Managers
!{{abbr|G|Games}}
!{{abbr|W|Wins}}
!{{abbr|L|Losses}}
!{{abbr|T|Ties}}
!{{abbr|Win%|Winning percentage}}
!Pacific League<br />championships
!Japan Series<br />championships
!Playoff<br />berths
|-
|1 
|{{npby|1950}}
|1
|{{sortname|Kaname|Miyazaki}}
|120
|51
|67
|2
|.432
|
|
|
|-
|2 
|{{npby|1951}}-{{npby|1959}}
|'''9'''
|{{sortname|Osamu|Mihara}}
|'''1,189'''
|'''680'''
|458
|51
|.598
|4 times<br />([[1954 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1954]],[[1956 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1956]],<br />[[1957 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1957]],[[1958 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1958]]) 
|3 times<br />([[1956 Japan Series|1956]],[[1957 Japan Series|1957]],[[1958 Japan Series|1958]])
|
|-
|3 
|{{npby|1960}}-{{npby|1961}}
|2
|{{sortname|Tokuji|Kawasaki}}
|276
|151
|116
|9
|.566
| 
| 
|
|-
|4
|{{npby|1962}}-{{npby|1969}}
|8
|{{sortname|Futoshi|Nakanishi}}
|1,117
|531
|'''541'''
|45
|.495
|1 ([[1963 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1963]]) 
| 
|
|-
|5
|{{npby|1970}}-{{npby|1974}}
|5
|{{sortname|Kazuhisa|Inao}}
|650
|246
|370
|34
|.399
|
| 
|
|-
|6
|{{npby|1975}}
|1
|{{sortname|Shinichi|Eto}}
|130
|58
|62
|10
|.483
| 
| 
|
|-
|7
|{{npby|1976}}
|0
|{{sortname|Leo|Durocher}}
|—
|—
|—
|—
|—
|
| 
|
|-
|8
|{{npby|1976}}-{{npby|1977}}
|2
|{{sortname|Masaichi|Kito}}
|260
|93
|149
|18
|.384
|
|
|
|-
|9
|{{npby|1978}}-{{npby|1981}}
|4
|{{sortname|Rikuo|Nemoto}}
|520
|219
|265
|36
|.452
| 
| 
|
|-
|10
|{{npby|1982}}-{{npby|1985}}
|4
|{{sortname|Tatsuro|Hirooka}}
|520
|295
|204
|21
|.591
|3 times<br />([[1982 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1982]],[[1983 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1983]],[[1985 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1985]]) 
|2 ([[1982 Japan Series|1982]],[[1983 Japan Series|1983]]
|1 ([[1982 Pacific League Playoffs|1982]])
|-
|11
|{{npby|1986}}-{{npby|1994}}
|'''9'''
|{{sortname|Masaaki|Mori|Masaaki Mori (baseball)}}
|1,170
|673
|438
|'''59'''
|'''.606'''
|'''8 times'''<br />([[1986 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1986]],[[1987 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1987]],[[1988 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1988]],<br />[[1990 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1990]],[[1991 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1991]],[[1992 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1992]],<br />[[1993 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1993]],[[1994 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1994]]) 
|'''6 times'''<br />([[1986 Japan Series|1986]],[[1987 Japan Series|1987]],[[1988 Japan Series|1988]],<br />[[1990 Japan Series|1990]],[[1991 Japan Series|1991]],[[1992 Japan Series|1992]])
|
|-
|12
|{{npby|1995}}-{{npby|2001}}
|7
|{{sortname|Osamu|Higashio}}
|937
|489
|425
|23
|.535
|2 ([[1997 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1997]],[[1998 Nippon Professional Baseball season|1998]]) 
|
|
|-
|13
|{{npby|2002}}-{{npby|2003}}
|2
|{{sortname|Haruki|Ihara}} (1st)
|280
|167
|110
|3
|.603
|1 ([[2002 Nippon Professional Baseball season|2002]]) 
|
|
|-
|14
|{{npby|2004}}-{{npby|2007}}
|4
|{{sortname|Tsutomu|Itoh|Tsutomu Itō}}
|549
|287
|257
|5
|.528
|1 ([[2004 Nippon Professional Baseball season|2004]])  
|1 ([[2004 Japan Series|2004]])
|3 times<br />([[2004 Pacific League Playoffs|2004]],[[2005 Pacific League Playoffs|2005]],[[2006 Pacific League Playoffs|2006]])
|-
|15
|{{npby|2008}}-{{npby|2013}}
|6
|{{sortname|Hisanobu|Watanabe}}
|864
|438
|395
|31
|.526
|1 ([[2008 Nippon Professional Baseball season|2008]]) 
|1 ([[2008 Japan Series|2008]])
|'''5 times'''<br />([[2008 Pacific League Climax Series|2008]],[[2010 Pacific League Climax Series|2010]],[[2011 Pacific League Climax Series|2011]],<br />[[2012 Pacific League Climax Series|2012]],[[2013 Pacific League Climax Series|2013]])
|-
|16
|{{npby|2014}}
|1
|{{sortname|Haruki|Ihara}} (2nd)
|144
|63
|77
|4
|.450
| 
|
| 
|-
|17
|{{npby|2015}}-{{npby|2016}}
|2
|{{sortname|Norio|Tanabe}}
|286
|133
|145
|8
|.478
| 
|
|
|-
|18
|{{npby|2017}}–{{npby|2022}}
|6
|{{sortname|Hatsuhiko|Tsuji}}
|835
|432
|372
|31
|.537
|2 ([[2018 Nippon Professional Baseball season|2018]],[[2019 Nippon Professional Baseball season|2019]]) 
|
|4 (,[[2017 Pacific League Climax Series|2017]],[[2018 Pacific League Climax Series|2018]],[[2019 Pacific League Climax Series|2019]],[[2022 Pacific League Climax Series|2022]])
|-
|19
|{{npby|2023}}–{{npby|2024}}
|2
|{{sortname|Kazuo|Matsui}}
|188
|80
|107
|1
|.428
|
|
|
|-
|20
|{{npby|2025}}–
|1
|{{sortname|Fumiya|Nishiguchi}}
|
|
|
|
|.
|
|
|

|- class="sortbottom"
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"| '''Totals'''
! 71 seasons !! !! 17 managers !!9,564!!4,882!!4,313 !!369!!.531!!23 times!!13 times!!12 times 
|}
* Statistics current through the end of the {{npby|2023}} season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://npb.jp/bis/teams/yearly_l.html|title=Nippon Professional Baseball 埼玉西武ライオンズ 年度別成績 (1950-2021)|language=ja-JP|work=[[Nippon Professional Baseball|NPB.jp]]|accessdate=August 20, 2021}}</ref>

==Former players of note==
*{{player||JPN|[[Hiroshi Ohshita]]}} ({{lang|ja|大下 弘}}) 1952–1959 
*{{player||JPN|[[Futoshi Nakanishi]]}} ({{lang|ja|中西 太}}) 1952–1969 
*{{player||USA|[[Phil Paine]]}} ({{lang|ja|フィル・ペイン}}) 1953
*{{player||JPN|[[Yasumitsu Toyoda]]}} ({{lang|ja|豊田 泰光}}) 1953–1962
*{{player||JPN|[[Akira Ohgi]]}} ({{lang|ja|仰木 彬}}) 1954–1968
*{{player||JPN|[[Kazuhisa Inao]]}} ({{lang|ja|稲尾 和久}}) 1956–1969 
*{{player||JPN|[[Osamu Higashio]]}} ({{lang|ja|東尾 修}}) 1969–1988
*{{player||JPN|[[Yoshiharu Wakana]]}} ({{lang|ja|若菜 嘉晴}}) 1972–1978 
*{{player||JPN|[[Akinobu Mayumi]]}} ({{lang|ja|真弓 明信}}) 1973–1978
*{{flagicon|DOM}} [[Matty Alou|Mateo Alou]] ({{lang|ja|マティ・アルー}}) 1974–1976 
*{{player||JPN|[[Yutaka Saotome]]}} ({{lang|ja|五月女 豊}}) 1976–1981
*{{player||JPN|[[Yoshiie Tachibana]]}} ({{lang|ja|立花 義家}}) 1977–1991
*{{player||USA|[[Terry Whitfield]]}} ({{lang|ja|テリー・ウィットフィールド, テリー}}) 1981–1983
*{{player||JPN|[[Koichi Tabuchi]]}} ({{lang|ja|田淵 幸一}}) 1979–1984
*{{player||USA|[[Steve Ontiveros (infielder)|Steve Ontiveros]]}} ({{lang|ja|スティーブ・オンティベロス, スティーブ}}) 1980–1985
*{{player||USA|[[George Vukovich]]}} ({{lang|ja|ジョージ・ブコビッチ}}) 1986–1987
*{{player||USA|[[Ty Van Burkleo]]}} ({{lang|ja|タイラー・バンバークレオ, バークレオ}}) 1987–1990
*{{player||JPN|[[Masahiro Doi]]}} ({{lang|ja|土井 正博}}) 1975–1981
*{{player||JPN|[[Kouji Akiyama]]}} ({{lang|ja|秋山 幸二}}) 1981–1993  
*{{player||JPN|[[Seiji Tomashino]]}} ({{lang|ja|笘篠 誠治}}) 1983–1997
*{{player||JPN|[[Hiromichi Ishige]]}} ({{lang|ja|石毛 宏典}}) 1981–1994   
*{{player||JPN|[[Tsutomu Itō]]}} ({{lang|ja|伊東 勤}}) 1982–2003
*{{player||JPN|[[Kimiyasu Kudo]]}} ({{lang|ja|工藤 公康}}) 1982–1994, 2010 
*{{player||JPN|[[Hatsuhiko Tsuji]]}} ({{lang|ja|辻 発彦}}) 1984–1995 
*{{player||TWN|[[Kuo Tai-yuan]]}} ({{lang|zh|郭 泰源}}) 1985–1997
*{{player||JPN|[[Kazuhiro Kiyohara]]}} ({{lang|ja|清原 和博}}) 1986–1996
*{{player||CUB|[[Orestes Destrade]]}} ({{lang|ja|オレステス・デストラーデ}}) 1989–1992, 1995 
*{{player||JPN|[[Tetsuya Shiozaki]]}} ({{lang|ja|潮崎 哲也}}) 1990–2004
*{{player||JPN|[[Hiroshi Shintani]]}} ({{lang|ja|新谷 博}}) 1992–1999
*{{player||USA|[[Romeo Calhoun]]}} 1993–1998 
*{{player||JPN|[[Makoto Sasaki (baseball)|Makoto Sasaki]]}} ({{lang|ja|佐々木 誠}}) 1994–1998 
*{{player||JPN|[[Kazuo Matsui]]}} ({{lang|ja|松井 稼頭央}}) 1994–2003, 2018
*{{player||USA|[[Darrin Jackson]]}} ({{lang|ja|ダリン・ジャクソン}}) 1995–1996 
*{{player||JPN|[[Fumiya Nishiguchi]]}} ({{lang|ja|西口 文也}}) 1995–2015
*{{player||JPN|[[Yui Tomori|Denney Tomori]]}} ({{lang|ja|デニー 友利, デニー}}) 1997–2002 
*{{player||DOM|[[Domingo Martínez (baseball)|Domingo Martínez]]}} ({{lang|ja|ドミンゴ・マルティネス}}) 1997–1998 
*{{player||JPN|[[Shinji Mori]]}} ({{lang|ja|森 慎二}}) 1997–2005
*{{player||USA|[[James L. Byers]]}} ({{lang|ja|ジェームズ・バイアーズ}}) 1998–2000
*{{player||DOM|[[Tony Fernández]]}} ({{lang|ja|トニー・フェルナンデス}}) 2000
*{{player||USA|[[Corey Paul (Baseball)|Corey Paul]]}} ({{lang|ja|コーリー・ポール}}) 1999–2001
*{{player||JPN|[[Kazuhiro Wada]]}} ({{lang|ja|和田 一浩}}) 1997–2007
*{{player||JPN|[[Daisuke Matsuzaka]]}} ({{lang|ja|松坂 大輔}}) 1999–2006, 2021 
*{{player||TWN|[[Hsu Ming-Chieh]]}} ({{lang|zh|許 銘傑}}) 2000–2011 
*{{player||USA|[[Scott McClain]]}} ({{lang|ja|スコット・マクレーン}}) 2001–2004
*{{player||TWN|[[Chang Chih-Chia]]}} ({{lang|zh|張 誌家}}) 2002–2006
*{{player||VEN|[[Alex Cabrera]]}} ({{lang|ja|アレックス・カブレラ}}) 2001–2007
*{{player||JPN|[[Hiroyuki Nakajima]]}} ({{lang|ja|中島 裕之}}) 2001–2012
*{{player||USA|[[Alex Graman]]}} ({{lang|ja|アレックス・グラマン}}) 2006–2011
*{{player||JPN|[[Kazuhisa Ishii]]}} ({{lang|ja|石井 一久}}) 2008–2013
*{{player||JPN|[[Yusei Kikuchi]]}} ({{lang|ja|菊池 雄星}}) 2010–2018 
*{{player||JPN|[[Ken Togame]]}} ({{lang|ja|十亀 剣}}) 2012–2022 
*{{player||AUS|[[Michael Nakamura]]}} ({{lang|ja|マイケル 中村, MICHAEL}}) 2012 
*{{player||DOM|[[Esteban Germán]]}} ({{lang|ja|エステバン・ヘルマン}}) 2012–2013
*{{player||VEN|[[Ernesto Mejía ]]}} ({{lang|ja|エルネスト・メヒア}}) 2014–2021
*{{player||JPN|[[Tomoya Mori]]}} ({{lang|ja|森 友哉}}) 2014–2022 
*{{player||JPN|[[Hotaka Yamakawa]]}} ({{lang|ja|山川 穂高}}) 2014–2023 

===Retired number===
Team announced [[Kazuhisa Inao]]'s No.24 was the first retired number of the Lions on May 1, 2012. 
{{retired number list|
{{retired number|image=Kazuhisa inao no.24.jpg|alt=24|name={{flagicon|JPN}}<br />[[Kazuhisa Inao|Kazuhisa<br />Inao]]|pos=P|date=<br />May 1, 2012}}
}}

===MLB players===
*[[Yusei Kikuchi]] (2019–)
*[[Jesús Aguilar]] (2024–)
Retired From MLB:
*[[Frank Howard (baseball)|Frank Howard]] (1974)
*[[Kazuhisa Ishii]] (2002–2006)
*[[Kazuo Matsui]] (2004–2010)
*[[Shinji Mori]] (2006–2007)
*[[Daisuke Matsuzaka]] (2007–2014)

<gallery>
Kikuchiyusei.jpg|[[Yusei Kikuchi]]
Daisuke Matsuzaka on March 25, 2008.jpg|[[Daisuke Matsuzaka]]
Kazuo_Matsui_on_April_11,_2010.jpg|[[Kazuo Matsui]]
Lions_Hotaka_Yamakawa.JPG|[[Hotaka Yamakawa]]
</gallery>

== Minor League team== 
The Lions farm team plays in the [[Eastern League (Japanese baseball)|Eastern League]]. The year of the team's founding is unknown. They first played in the Kansai Farm League in 1952 and joined the Eastern League in 1979.

== Further reading ==
* [[Whiting, Robert]]. "The Emperor's Team," ''You Gotta Have Wa'' (Vintage Departures, 1989), pp.&nbsp;220–238.

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Saitama Seibu Lions}}
* [https://www.seibulions.jp/ Official website] {{in lang|ja}}
* [http://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/tag/tokorozawa/ High resolution photos and discussion of the Lions in English]

{{Saitama Seibu Lions}}
{{Japanese Professional Baseball}}
{{Saitama Sports}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Saitama Seibu Lions| ]]
[[Category:Nippon Professional Baseball teams]]
[[Category:Baseball teams established in 1950]]
[[Category:Jungle Emperor Leo]]
[[Category:Sports clubs and teams in Saitama Prefecture]]
[[Category:Tokorozawa, Saitama]]
[[Category:1950 establishments in Japan]]
[[Category:Railway sports clubs and teams]]