[Orix] “This is the best of my life. Everything was perfect.” Ryo Ota hits his ninth two-run home run to the fifth-tier seats, putting him one step closer to hitting his first double-digit home run.
Sports Hochi
2025.10.2(木) 05:00
Pacific League: Orix 10-5 Seibu (1st, Kyocera Dome Osaka)
Orix Ryo Ota infielder (24) carved the best and longest arch of his life. It’s the best of my life. With one run in the fourth inning and the score tied at one, he struck out at first base with two outs. He swung hard at a straight ball from Sugiyama, a left-handed pitcher. It was an oversized No. 9, a two-run shot to the left-center field bleachers, which is hard to reach even for those who boast of their power.
“The important point is that he can stop the ball after hitting it. I think it’s something that can only be achieved through practice.” The moment he hit the ball, he watched it land with the bat still in his hand. It was his first home run in 30 games since the game against Seibu on August 17th (Kyocera Dome).
In his seventh year as a pro, he has firmly established himself as a regular at second base. He is good friends with shortstop Kurebayashi, who is a key player on ground. He tolerates being called “Tamaru” (Ota’s nickname) by a junior a year younger than him, and they are comfortable speaking casually. Recently, they have been seriously discussing batting theory. He has expanded his thinking on how to use his lower body and how to see the ball, and is on the verge of hitting double-digit home runs for the first time in his career.
The team, which has recorded four straight wins, is now in third place and will be competing in the CS. He regrets not being able to play two years ago due to an injury. “It’s truly a short-term battle. I want to be in top physical and mental condition and be ready for the first game.” In the seventh game of the 2022 Japan Series against Yakult, he became the first hitter in history to hit Home Run the first pitch, and is a rising star who became the driving force behind the team’s victory in the Japan Series. Ori’s “hidden demon of short-term battles” burns quietly and passionately. (Osada Toru)
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AloJapan.com