Nippon-Ham Fighters' Fukuya Yamazaki vows to play his first professional game for hospitalized children: "I'm pitcher, but I'll practice." | Pacific League

Nippon-Ham Fighters’ Fukuya Yamazaki vows to be the first professional to play for hospitalized children: “I’m pitcher, but I’ll keep practicing.”

Sports Hochi

2025.12.2(火) 06:10

子どもたちの前でキャッチボールをする山崎

Nippon-Ham pitcher Fukuya Yamazaki (33) visited Hokkaido University Hospital in Sapporo on the 1st and promised to hit his first professional Home Run to hospitalized children. The hospital is a special place for him, as he survived major brain tumor surgery when he was in his third year of junior high school, which had a 10% chance of survival. He interacted with 18 children hospitalized with childhood cancer and other conditions, and when they requested him to hit a Home Run run, he vowed to excel as a two-way player, saying, “I’m pitcher, but I’m happy. I’ll practice so that I can hit one somehow.”

He started as the sixth batter and pitcher in the game against DeNA (Yokohama) on June 7th this season. He hit a two-run RBI and boasts a batting hit that has tied him with Sugiuchi (Softbank) for the longest consecutive hit streak in interleague games of Pacific League pitcher, five years in a row. “My batting will end next year,” he said, as the DH system will be introduced in Central League 2027. He aims to hit Home Run next season, his last chance, and break a new record.

As pitcher, his main job this season, he was in poor form and demoted to the second team, finishing with just seven wins. “As pitcher, I need to win double digits and win the championship. I hope I can give the children energy and courage.” He is dynamic in both pitching and batting, fulfilling his promise to the children. (Haruki Kawakami)