On the 4th, Nippon-Ham announced that pitcher Koki Kitayama will change his number from 57 to 15. 15 was worn by pitcher Naoyuki Uwasawa (currently Softbank) until 2023.
Social media was abuzz with excitement over the change of number, which is unusual during the season. Comments of surprise were heard, such as “Now?! LOL,” “They can change it during the season!”, “I never knew it was okay to change number during the season,” “There’s no problem according to the rules,” and “Has this ever happened before?”
With the season now more than half over, there are also uniforms and merchandise with the number 57. Some have expressed concern, saying things like, “Will the merchandise arrive in time?”, “I’ll do my best to buy a new uniform,” “My Kitayama uniform… eh!?”, “Kitayama fans are worried about the expense,” and “If this year’s limited edition 57 uniform goes on to perform well in the majors in the future, it will likely become as rare and valuable as the 1989 coin.”
Related News
… [Nippon-Ham] “57” to “15” number Changed Koki Kitayama “In the world of professional baseball, being in the top 10 is something special.”
Nippon-Ham】”I want to pitch with gratitude to my ancestors.” Koki Kitayama appeals to the opening day rotation with a glove bearing his family crest.
Nippon-Ham] “The ‘god of substitute hitting’ joins his grandfather…” Coach Yutaka Yagi celebrates his 60th birthday in a red uniform.
Nippon-Ham] Annual Salary List in 2025
Nippon-Ham] Manager Takeshi Shinjo: “We just didn’t get the win.” Koki Kitayama complete game Loses, but ERA Moves to the top of the list
AloJapan.com