[FuzzyRussianHat]

The Western League’s four playoff teams were obvious as they each had 90+ wins while the rest of the league was below .500. The positioning wasn’t clear until the final weeks though. Freetown ended up first at 97-65, leading the WL in both runs scored (940) and fewest allowed (705). It was the sixth playoff berth in seven years for the Foresters, but it was their first time atop the standings since 1999.

Defending WL champ Dakar was next at 93-69, growing their playoff streak to five. Tied for the final two spots at 92-70 were both Kumasi and Accra. The Monkeys’ playoff streak moved to three and the Alligators ended a two-year drought. Of note was Abidjan’s fall to 72-90, ending their seven-year playoff streak. The Athletes have been so successful that this tied their franchise worst mark from 1984.

Dakar 3B Junior Jose won back-to-back Western League MVPs and his third overall. The 28-year old Mozambican led in home runs (71), total bases (452), slugging (.764), and WAR (9.6). Jose became only the third in WAB history with a 70+ homer season, falling seven short of Desmond Jaiyeola’s record of 78. He also had 125 runs, 204 hits, 156 RBI, .344 average, and 1.179 OPS. Prior to the season, the Dukes extended Jose at $142,700,000 over eight years.

Pitcher of the Year was Freetown’s Mahamoud Sy, who led in wins (19-5), ERA (2.84), innings (231), quality starts (21), and WAR (7.8). The 27-year old Mauritanian lefty had 247 strikeouts and 168 ERA+. Sy also earned a Gold Glove for his defensive efforts. He signed a six-year, $185,600,000 extension after the season. Surprisingly after a weaker 2029, the Foresters wouldn’t protect Sy and he’d end up taken in an expansion draft by Abuja.

Accra swept Kumasi in the first round, then got swept in round two by Dakar. This set up a Western League Championship Series rematch between the defending champ Dukes and Freetown. The series needed all five games, but the Foresters would have their revenge 3-2 over Dakar. It was the fourth pennant for Freetown (1977, 2011, 2024, 2028).



Ouagadougou at 101-61 just fended off two-time defending West African Baseball champ Cotonou (100-62) for the top spot in the Eastern League. The Osprey ended a seven-year playoff drought and tied the EL team record with 300 home runs. Ouagadougou led all of WAB in runs scored (961) while the Copperheads allowed the fewest (689).

The remaining playoff spots went to Lome (94-68) and Niamey (90-72) with a steep drop to fifth place Yaounde (81-81). The Lasers snapped a five-year playoff drought and the Atomics grew their streak to five. Last year’s first place finisher Ibadan fell to 79-83.

Ouagadougou 1B Youssouf N’Ko won Eastern League MVP by leading in batting average (.358), OBP (.415), wRC+ (167), and WAR (7.6). The 27-year old Guinean lefty added 215 hits, 114 runs, 38 doubles, 43 homers, 139 RBI, and 1.062 OPS. N’Ko took the honor despite Lagos DH Desmond Jaiyeola getting 74 home runs. Jaiyeola has the top three homer season in WAB history with 78 in 2024 and 76 in 2025. He’s only the seventh in all of baseball history with three 70+ homer seasons.

Port Harcourt’s Ngalle Eto’o won his second Pitcher of the Year, having also gotten it in 2024. The 29-year old Cameroonian lefty led in ERA (2.75), strikeouts (308), K/BB (17.1), FIP- (55), and WAR (8.0). He had a 14-7 record over 206 innings, falling two wins short of a Triple Crown.

Niamey edged Lome 2-1 in the first round of the playoffs, but promptly got swept in round two by Cotonou. The Copperheads were going for the EL three-peat, while top seed Ouagadougou was in the Eastern League Championship Series for the first time since 2020. Cotonou successfully defended their throne in a 3-2 battle with the Osprey, becoming six-time EL champs (2010, 11, 13, 26, 27, 28).



Cotonou was going for the third-ever three-peat in the 54^th West African Championship. Only Kano had done it in 1997-99 and again from 2001-03 with their historic dynasty. The Copperheads search for history was abruptly squashed as Freetown not only won, but got the emphatic sweep. It was the second title for the Foresters, joining their 1977 win. Veteran LF Edward Mumini was the star of the playoffs, winning ELCS and finals MVP. The 31-year old Nigerian in 9 starts had 13 hits, 7 runs, 2 doubles, 6 homers, and 12 RBI.



Other notes: Ouagadougou’s Justin Karefa-Smart set a single-season world record for at-bats at 709. Previously WAB hit king Fares Belaid held the record at 704 from 2020, which was the only other season in world history of 700+ ABs. Desmond Jaiyeola had a four home run game, the 7^th in WAB history.

In milestones, Abdel Aziz Ashraf and Clarence Cole became the 7^th and 8^th members of the 600 home run club. Youssoupha Diop and Jonah Moiseiwitsch became the 18^th and 19^th to 500 homers. Moiseiwitsch also became the 6^th to 3000 hits while Hassan Amara became the 7^th. Werzeg and Hassan both got to 2500 hits, now a 30-man club.

Jaiyeola, Diop, and Kerim Werzeg all reached 1500 RBI in 2028, a mark now reached by 18 sluggers. Mohamed Khammas and Shafiu Hassan became the 10^th and 11^th to score 1500 runs. Dagobert Mekongo became the 8^th pitcher to 200 wins and the 3^rd to 4000 strikeouts. He would finish with 4099 Ks, 3^rd behind Xavi Leko (5032) and Addise Assefa (4147). Rene Zossou was the 25^th pitcher to 3000 strikeouts. LF Didier Loubaki won his eighth Gold Glove.