The 54th Mitsui Golden Glove Award was announced, and one player was selected from Hokkaido Nippon-Ham, and two players were selected from Tohoku Rakuten, Saitama Seibu, Orix, and Fukuoka Softbank. The winners and comments for each position in Pacific League are as follows:
*The number of matches is the number of position each player.
pitcher: Hiromi Ito (Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters)
pitcher: Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters pitcher Hiromi Ito © Pacific League TV
27 games: 14 putouts, 28 assists, 2 errors, 2 double play plays. defense percentage: .955
This season, the tough right-pitcher Hiromi Ito, who pitched a league-high 196.2 inning, received the award for the first time. In 27 appearances, he recorded a 2.52 ERA, 14 wins and 8 losses, and 195 strike out, earning him the most wins for the second consecutive year and the most strike out for the first time in his career, while also winning the Sawamura Award.
▼Comment pitcher Ito▼
“I never thought I would receive this award, so I am extremely happy. It is an honor that has been won by many renowned predecessors, so I will continue to work hard in my practice so that I can continue to perform to the best of my ability and live up to this award.”
catcher: Kenya Wakatsuki (Orix The Buffaloes)
catcher: Kenya Wakatsuki Orix The Buffaloes © Pacific League TV
118 games: 773 putouts, 85 assists, 6 errors, 8 double play 2 passed defense percentage: .993
Kenya Wakatsuki This is the second time the player has won the award in two years. Tomoya Mori While players continued to be sidelined due to injuries, he led pitcher staff in 118 games and also made his presence felt at bat with a batting average of .272, 6 Home Run 31 RBI.
▼ Comments from Wakatsuki ▼
“I am truly happy to have been selected for this prestigious award, which was one of my goals. I will continue to work hard, never forgetting my spirit of constant effort, to grow in all aspects – mind, technique, and body – and become a player who will be selected again and again.”
first baseman: Nevin (Saitama Seibu Lions)
first baseman: Nevin, Saitama Seibu Lions © Pacific League TV
121 games, 1047 stabs, 98 assists, 6 errors, 82 double play defense rate.995
In his first year in Japan, Nevin played in 137 games, the most on the team. He hit at the top level of the league with a .277 batting average, 21 Home Run 63 RBI, and also supported the team both offensively and defensively with frequent fine plays defense.
▼ Nevin commented on the award.
I am very honored to receive the Golden Glove Award. pitcher I love to play for the team and it would not have been possible without the support of the people around me. I believe that the way my teammates played hard pushed me to bring out the best in myself. Thank you to everyone who voted for me.”
second baseman: Taisei Makihara (Fukuoka Softbank Hawks)
second baseman: Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, Taisei Makihara © Pacific League TV
104 games, 182 stabs, 257 supplementary kills, 6 errors, 53 double play defense rate.987
The first player from the developmental ranks to win the top hitter Taisei Makihara player won the Mitsui Golden Glove Award for the first time. This season, he played in a career-high 125 games and reached the regulation batting lineup for the first time in his career. He played 29 games not only defense at second base, but also outfield as a mainstay, and played well at all positions.
▼ Dai Makihara commented.
I am very happy to receive this award because it is an award I have always wanted. I would like to thank everyone in the team that I fought with because I could not get this award by my own strength alone. I also want to especially thank the coaches who have guided my defense so far. I am also glad that I was able to fulfill my promise to “win the Golden Glove” with my old best friend Nori (my best friend from my hometown). Lastly, there are many great seniors on The Hawks who have won this award, and I will continue to work hard so that I can catch up.”
third baseman: Itsuki Murabayashi (Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles)
third baseman: Itsuki Murabayashi, Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles © Pacific League TV
104 games: 55 putouts, 139 assists, 7 errors, 8 double play plays. defense percentage: .965
This season, with the addition of Rui Muneyama, Itsuki Murabayashi has had more opportunities to play third base, earning him his first award. With his solid defense skills, he has also played at other bases, and also recorded a batting average of .281.
▼Comment from Murabayashi▼
“I am very happy to have received the Golden Glove Award, the highest defense honor, for the first time. I would like to thank the manager and coaches who have been giving me lots of practice and guidance since I was a rookie, the people behind the scenes who have supported me, and everyone who has been involved. This season, while mainly playing third base, I have also had the opportunity to play short stop and second baseman base, so it has been a year in which I have been able to view baseball from a broad perspective. Next season, I would like to play with all my might and contribute to the team’s win.”
short stop: Kotaro Kobayashi (Orix The Buffaloes)
short stop: Orix The Buffaloes Kotaro Kobayashi © Pacific League TV
115 games, 186 putouts, 312 assists, 7 errors, 67 double play plays, defense percentage .986
Kotaro Kobayashi in his sixth year as a pro, received the award for the first time. This season, he played defense for a league-leading 975.2 inning, posting defense percentage of .986, second in the league. He also made his presence felt at the plate with a batting average of .260, Home Run, and an OPS of .703.
▼Comment from Kurebayashi▼
“I honestly didn’t think I’d be selected, so I was surprised. At the same time, it’s an award I’ve always wanted to receive, so I’m really happy. I’ll continue to do my best defense to contribute to the team’s win, and I’ll keep working hard every day so that I can be selected for this award again.”
outfielder: Ukyo Shuto (Fukuoka Softbank Hawks)
outfielder: Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, Ukyo Shuto © Pacific League TV
96 games, 249 putouts, 5 assists, 4 errors, 2 double play plays, defense percentage .984
Ukyo Shuto won the award for the second time in a row. This season, he was removed from the roster twice due to injury and only played in 96 games, but he stole 35 stolen base and won stolen base title for the fourth time in three years. He continued to show his defensive defense by making the most of his speed this season, and was selected as outfielder with the most votes.
▼Comment from Shuto▼
“I’m really happy to have won this award for the second year in a row. This year I had some injuries and wasn’t able to play as well as I wanted, but I gave it my all until the very end, and it’s really encouraging to be recognized for that. I’ll do my best throughout next season so that I can stand on ground again.”
outfielder: Ryosuke Tatsumi (Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles)
outfielder: Ryosuke Tatsumi, Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles © Pacific League TV
114 games, 330 putouts, 6 assists, 1 error, 2 double play plays, defense percentage .997
Ryosuke Tatsumi has received the award for the fifth consecutive year. This season, he has repeatedly saved his team with his wide defense range. His 330 putouts by outfielder is the best in the league.
▼ Comments from Tatsumi ▼
“I am extremely honored to receive this award again this year. I would like to thank everyone who supported me and to have been selected for the fifth consecutive year. I will continue to be proud of this award and hope to be a player who can contribute even a little to my team and the world of baseball by following the path I believe in. I look forward to your continued support.”
outfielder: Manaya Nishikawa (Saitama Seibu Lions)
outfielder: Saitama Seibu Lions, Manaya Nishikawa Lions © Pacific League TV
124 games, 295 putouts, 3 assists, 3 errors, 1 double play play, defense percentage .990
This season, Manaya Nishikawa who has established himself as a regular player, received this award for the first time. He mainly played as leadoff hitter and center fielder, and recorded a batting average of .264 with 10 Home Run 38 RBI. In addition to his wide defense range, he also often saved the team with diving catch.
▼ Comments from Nishikawa ▼
“I am truly happy and honored to receive the Golden Glove Award, which I have always wanted to receive. I feel that this award is not something I received alone, but is thanks to the support of my coaches and teammates who have supported me in daily practice and games, and to all The Lions fans who have cheered me on. I will continue to hone defense so that the pitcher can trust me with confidence, and do my best to contribute to the team’s win.”
AloJapan.com