The 2021 Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles season was the 17th season of the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles franchise. The Eagles played their home games at Rakuten Seimei Park Miyagi in the city of Sendai as members of Nippon Professional Baseball's Pacific League. The team was led by Kazuhisa Ishii in his first season as team manager.
Rakuten finished the season with a record of , securing third place in the PL and qualifying for the Climax Series. They were eliminated by the Chiba Lotte Marines in the First Stage in two games.
Regular season Standings + 2021 Pacific League regular season standings Team 1Orix Buffaloes143705518.560—38–22–1232–33–62Chiba Lotte Marines*143675719.5402½33–32–734–25–123Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles*143666215.5145½31–33–835–29–74Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks143606221.4928½31–29–1129–33–105Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters143556820.4471425–36–1030–32–106Saitama Seibu Lions143557018.4401530–34–725–36–11 League champion and advanced directly to the final stage of the Climax Series Advanced to the first stage of the Climax Series
Record vs. opponents + 2021 record vs. opponentsTeamBuffaloesEaglesFightersHawksLionsMarines Buffaloes — 10–10–5 10–11–4 13–11–1 15–8–2 10–10–5 12–5–1 Eagles 10–10–5 — 12–11–2 11–10–4 15–8–2 9–15–1 9–8–1 Fighters 11–10–4 11–12–2 — 6–13–6 13–9–3 7–13–5 7–11 Hawks 11–13–1 10–11–4 13–6–6 — 9–13–3 12–10–3 5–9–4 Lions 8–15–2 8–15–2 9–13–3 13–9–3 — 10–11–4 7–7–4 Marines 10–10–5 15–9–1 13–7–5 10–12–3 11–10–4 — 8–9–1
Interleague + 2021 regular season interleague standings Team 1Orix Buffaloes181251.706—7–1–15–42Hanshin Tigers181170.6111.53–68–13Yokohama DeNA BayStars18963.60026–2–13–4–24Chunichi Dragons18972.5632.55–2–24–55Tokyo Yakult Swallows181080.5562.55–45–46Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles18981.52933–5–16–37Saitama Seibu Lions18774.5003.55–3–12–4–38Chiba Lotte Marines18891.47145–43–5–19Yomiuri Giants18783.46744–3–23–5–110Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters187110.3895.52–75–411Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks18594.3575.53–4–22–5–212Hiroshima Toyo Carp183123.20082–6–11–6–2 Interleague champion
Opening Day starting roster Friday, March 26, 2021, vs. Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters + 2021 Rakuten Eagles Opening Day starting roster Order Player Position 1 Ryosuke Tatsumi Center fielder 2 Hiroto Kobukata Shortstop 3 Hiroaki Shimauchi Left fielder 4 Hideto Asamura Second baseman 5 Eigoro Mogi Third baseman 6 Daichi Suzuki First baseman 7 Kazuki Tanaka Right fielder 8 Yuya Ogo Designated hitter 9 Hikaru Ohta Catcher — Hideaki Wakui Starting pitcher
Game log
|-align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 1 || March 26 || Fighters || 8–2 || Wakui (1–0) || Uwasawa (0–1) || — || Rakuten Seimei Park || 14,559 || 1–0–0 || W1 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 2 || March 27 || Fighters || 4–9 || Kato (1–0) || Takata (0–1) || — || Rakuten Seimei Park || 14,681 || 1–1–0 || L1 |-align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 3 || March 28 || Fighters || 5–0 || Hayakawa (1–0) || Ikeda (0–1) || — || Rakuten Seimei Park || 14,425 || 2–1–0 || W1 |-align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 4 || March 30 || @ Marines || 5–0 || Kishi (1–0) || Ojima (0–1) || — || Zozo Marine Stadium || 9,931 || 3–1–0 || W2 |-align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 5 || March 31 || @ Marines || 2–1 || T. Norimoto (1–0) || Iwashita (0–1) || Matsui (1) || Zozo Marine Stadium || 9,594 || 4–1–0 || W3 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 6 || April 1 || @ Marines || 5–16 || Motomae (1–0) || Takinaka (0–1) || — || Zozo Marine Stadium || 7,447 || 4–2–0 || L1 |-align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 7 || April 2 || Buffaloes || 4–2 || Wakui (2–0) || Yamasaki (0–1) || Matsui (2) || Rakuten Seimei Park || 7,247 || 5–2–0 || W1 |-align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 8 || April 3 || Buffaloes || 3–2 || Anraku (1–0) || Yamaoka (0–2) || Matsui (3) || Rakuten Seimei Park || 9,856 || 6–2–0 || W2 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 9 || April 4 || Buffaloes || 0–4 || Miyagi (2–0) || Hayakawa (1–1) || — || Rakuten Seimei Park || 7,376 || 6–3–0 || L1 |-align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 10 || April 6 || @ Lions || 13–2 || Kishi (2–0) || Matsumoto (1–1) || — || MetLife Dome || 8,608 || 7–3–0 || W1 |-align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 11 || April 7 || @ Lions || 6–3 || T. Norimoto (2–0) || Imai (0–1) || — || MetLife Dome || 7,390 || 8–3–0 || W2 |-align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 12 || April 8 || @ Lions || 4–0 || Takinaka (1–1) || Uema (0–1) || — || MetLife Dome || 6,653 || 9–3–0 || W3 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffeeaa" | 13 || April 9 || Hawks || 1–1 || colspan=3|Game tied after 9 innings || Rakuten Seimei Park || 5,049 || 9–3–1 || T1 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffeeaa" | 14 || April 10 || Hawks || 8–8 || colspan=3|Game tied after 9 innings || Rakuten Seimei Park || 8,122 || 9–3–2 || T2 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 15 || April 11 || Hawks || 0–2 || Taura (1–0) || Hayakawa (1–2) || Mori (3) || Rakuten Seimei Park || 8,515 || 9–4–2 || L1 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 16 || April 13 || Marines|| 2–6 || Ishikawa (1–0) || Kishi (2–1) || Masuda (2) || Rakuten Seimei Park || 6,188 || 9–5–2 || L2 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffeeaa" | 17 || April 14 || Marines || 2–2 || colspan=3|Game tied after 9 innings || Rakuten Seimei Park || 6,303 || 9–5–3 || T1 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 18 || April 15 || Marines || 3–7 || Iwashita (2–1) || Takinaka (1–2) || — || Rakuten Seimei Park || 5,874 || 9–6–3 || L1 |-align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 19 || April 16 || @ Fighters || 4–1 || Wakui (3–0) || Hori (1–1) || Matsui (4) || Tokyo Dome || 9,559 || 10–6–3 || W1 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 20 || April 17 || @ Fighters || 1–4 || Uwasawa (1–2) || M. Tanaka (0–1) || Sugiura (4) || Tokyo Dome || 9,985 || 10–7–3 || L1 |-align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 21 || April 18 || @ Fighters || 4–1 || Hayakawa (2–2) || Kaneko (0–1) || Matsui (5) || Tokyo Dome || 9,981 || 11–7–3 || W1 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 22 || April 20 || @ Hawks || 4–6 || Kayama (1–0) || Kishi (2–2) || Mori (5) || Kitakyushu Stadium || 9,801 || 11–8–3 || L1 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 23 || April 21 || @ Hawks || 1–4 || Wada (2–1) || T. Norimoto (2–1) || Mori (6) || PayPay Dome || 12,049 || 11–9–3 || L2 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffeeaa" | 24 || April 23 || Lions || 2–2 || colspan=3|Game tied after 9 innings || Rakuten Seimei Park || 6,205 || 11–9–4 || T1 |-align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 25 || April 24 || Lions || 2–1 || M. Tanaka (1–1) || Honda (0–1) || Matsui (6) || Rakuten Seimei Park || 6,619 || 12–9–4 || W1 |-align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 26 || April 25 || Lions || 8–4 || Hayakawa (3–2) || Hirai (3–1) || — || Rakuten Seimei Park || 7,037 || 13–9–4 || W2 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffeeaa" | 27 || April 27 || @ Buffaloes || 5–5 || colspan=3|Game tied after 9 innings || Kyocera Dome || — || 13–9–5 || T1 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffeeaa" | 28 || April 28 || @ Buffaloes || 0–0 || colspan=3|Game tied after 9 innings || Kyocera Dome || — || 13–9–6 || T2 |-align="center" bgcolor="#bbbbbb" | — || April 29 || @ Buffaloes || colspan=4|Postponed (COVID-19) – Makeup date: October 20 || Kyocera Dome || — || — || — |-align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 29 || April 30 || Marines || 8–1 || Wakui (4–0) || T. Nakamura (0–1) || — || Rakuten Seimei Park || 4,734 || 14–9–6 || W1
|-align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 30 || May 1 || Marines || 3–0 || M. Tanaka (2–1) || Futaki (1–2) || Matsui (7) || Rakuten Seimei Park || 7,914 || 15–9–6 || W2 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 31 || May 2 || Marines || 5–6 || Karakawa (2–1) || Matsui (0–1) || Masuda (6) || Rakuten Seimei Park || 7,622 || 15–10–6 || L1 |-align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 32 || May 3 || @ Hawks || 7–4 || Takinaka (2–2) || Niho (0–1) || Matsui (8) || PayPay Dome || 18,382 || 16–10–6 || W1 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 33 || May 4 || @ Hawks || 4–6 || Tsumori (1–0) || Kishi (2–3) || Moinelo (2) || PayPay Dome || 18,584 || 16–11–6 || L1 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffeeaa" | 34 || May 5 || @ Hawks || 5–5 || colspan=3|Game tied after 9 innings || PayPay Dome || 17,902 || 16–11–7 || T1 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 35 || May 7 || @ Fighters || 1–6 || VerHagen (1–2) || Wakui (4–1) || — || Sapporo Dome || 5,674 || 16–12–7 || L1 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 36 || May 8 || @ Fighters || 1–4 || Uwasawa (3–2) || M. Tanaka (2–2) || B. Rodriguez (1) || Sapporo Dome || 13,022 || 16–13–7 || L2 |-align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 37 || May 9 || @ Fighters || 6–3 || Hayakawa (4–2) || Ikeda (2–4) || Matsui (9) || Sapporo Dome || 9,698 || 17–13–7 || W1 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffeeaa" | 38 || May 11 || Lions || 3–3 || colspan=3|Game tied after 9 innings || Rakuten Seimei Park || 5,128 || 17–13–8 || T1 |-align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 39 || May 12 || Lions || 4–3 || T. Norimoto (3–1) || Neal (0–1) || Matsui (10) || Rakuten Seimei Park || 5,128 || 18–13–8 || W1 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 40 || May 14 || @ Buffaloes || 4–9 || Yamaoka (2–3) || Wakui (4–2) || — || Hotto Motto Field || 4,888 || 18–14–8 || L1 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 41 || May 15 || @ Buffaloes || 3–4 || Takeyasu (2–0) || M. Tanaka (2–3) || K. Suzuki (1) || Hotto Motto Field || 7,795 || 18–15–8 || L2 |-align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 42 || May 16 || @ Buffaloes || 1–0 || Hayakawa (5–2) || Yamasaki (1–4) || — || Kyocera Dome || — || 19–15–8 || W1 |-align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 43 || May 18 || Fighters || 3–2 || Sung (1–0) || B. Rodriguez (0–1) || Matsui (11) || Rakuten Seimei Park || 6,016 || 20–15–8 || W2 |-align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 44 || May 19 || Fighters || 3–2 || T. Norimoto (4–1) || Kato (3–1) || Matsui (12) || Rakuten Seimei Park || 7,035 || 21–15–8 || W3 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 45 || May 20 || Fighters || 1–4 || Hori (2–1) || Fukuyama (0–1) || Sugiura (9) || Rakuten Seimei Park || 8,448 || 21–16–8 || L1 |-align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 46 || May 21 || @ Marines || 13–6 || Wakui (5–2) || Ishikawa (2–2) || — || Zozo Marine Stadium || 7,742 || 22–16–8 || W1 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 47 || May 22 || @ Marines || 1–3 || Karakawa (3–1) || Fukuyama (0–2) || Masuda (11) || Zozo Marine Stadium || 11,788 || 22–17–8 || L1 |-align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 48 || May 23 || @ Marines || 6–5 || Hayakawa (6–2) || Ojima (1–2) || Matsui (13) || Zozo Marine Stadium || 10,605 || 23–17–8 || W1 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" style="border-top: solid 2px black; border-right: solid 2px black; border-left: solid 2px black" | 49 || May 25 || @ Giants || 4–9 || Togo (4–2) || Kishi (2–4) || — || Tokyo Dome || 10,329 || 23–18–8 || L1 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" style="border-right: solid 2px black; border-left: solid 2px black" | 50 || May 26 || @ Giants || 2–5 || Takahashi (6–1) || T. Norimoto (4–2) || De La Rosa (6) || Tokyo Dome || 9,778 || 23–19–8 || L2 |-align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" style="border-right: solid 2px black; border-left: solid 2px black" | 51 || May 27 || @ Giants || 2–0 || Takinaka (3–2) || Yokogawa (0–1) || Matsui (14) || Tokyo Dome || 8,953 || 24–19–8 || W1 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" style="border-right: solid 2px black; border-left: solid 2px black" | 52 || May 28 || BayStars || 6–7 || Kuniyoshi (1–0) || Wakui (5–3) || Mishima (7) || Rakuten Seimei Park || 10,822 || 24–20–8 || L1 |-align="center" bgcolor="ffeeaa" style="border-right: solid 2px black; border-left: solid 2px black" | 53 || May 29 || BayStars || 1–1 || colspan=3|Game tied after 9 innings || Rakuten Seimei Park || 13,057 || 24–20–9 || T1 |-align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" style="border-right: solid 2px black; border-left: solid 2px black" | 54 || May 30 || BayStars || 5–1 || Sakai (1–0) || Ishida (1–1) || — || Rakuten Seimei Park || 12,426 || 25–20–9 || W1
|-align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" style="border-right: solid 2px black; border-left: solid 2px black" | 55 || June 1 || @ Swallows || 4–7 || Onishi (1–0) || Sakai (1–1) || McGough (6) || Meiji Jingu Stadium || 7,809 || 25–21–9 || L1 |-align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" style="border-right: solid 2px black; border-left: solid 2px black"