[Orix] “It’s all thanks to him that I’ve come this far,” says Yutaro Sugimoto as he presents his 100th farewell home run to his “strong rival,” Daisuke Kondo The Giants.
Sports Hochi
2025.9.27(土) 05:30
On the 26th, Orix outfielder Yutaro Sugimoto (34) vowed to give a “farewell home run” to The Giants pitcher Kondo, who will retire at the end of this season. The right-handed pitcher, a former teammate born in the same year of 1991, is scheduled to make his final appearance on the mound on the 27th in the Eastern League game against Lotte (G-Town). Raoh, who will be playing against Rakuten (Kyocera Dome) on the same day, commented, “I don’t think it will be that easy, but I hope I can hit one.”
“I’ve been able to come this far thanks to him. He’s my best friend, and a formidable opponent, so to speak.” He used a phrase that references his beloved “Fist of the North Star” to describe Kondo’s presence, likely to hide his loneliness. Ideally, he would like to hit 100 Home Run on the same day as his final mound, putting him one step closer to reaching that milestone.
Both joined Orix in the 2015 draft. They have always supported and encouraged each other. If either of them was struggling, they would call out to each other and encourage each other by saying, “Let’s do our best starting tomorrow.” They also have fond memories of eating countless meals together and relieving stress by singing karaoke together. He announced his retirement in a group LINE message with his classmates, which also included Yamada and Kuri. “I was sad when he was traded (in the offseason of 2011), but… watching him practice was truly amazing,” he said with respect.
On the 25th, in the game against Lotte (Kyocera Dome), he also responded to Kondo’s request. He changed his entrance song to “WINNERS HIGH” by TUBE, which Kondo had been using, and went into the game. The team is on the brink of participating in the CS, and Sugimoto himself is four at-bats away from his first required number of at-bats in four years. He hit a home run against a formidable opponent, and is still holding his own at the forefront. (Osada Toru)
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AloJapan.com