Nippon-Ham-Ham Fighters closer Yukiya Saito gives up a painful walk-off run. Takagi says, “I wonder if their confidence is wavering again.”
Baseball King
2025.9.17(水) 21:10
◆ How to use relief pitchers is a concern for the manager…Komashin: “I think it will depend on the situation.”
On the 17th, Nippon-Ham lost to walk-off 2x-3 in Rakuten-off loss. In the 11th extra inning, Yukiya Saito, who was pitching as the fourth mound, gave up walk-off hit to Voit with two outs and a runner on first base.
Nippon-Ham gap with the league leader, Softbank has widened to 3.5 games. Reflecting on the disappointing lose, MC Yutaka Takagi of Fuji TV ONE’s “Professional baseball News 2025,” broadcast on the 17th, commented, “I thought the atmosphere changed completely after Reyes’ home run (which tied the game in the 8th inning), but it wasn’t an escalation. So not much changed. Saito got hit at the end.” Commentator Masaki Saito responded, “That’s true. He’s been pitch well lately.”
Takagi further commented on the relief pitchers, saying, “Saito is being used as the guardian deity. He held the closer in the previous game. But Kenta Uehara failed in the game before that. I thought Saito was the one to put in, but he got hit.” Saito replied, “But as for who to trust, that’s up to Manager Shinjo to decide, and we just have to trust that person and put him in.”
Another commentator, Kenji Koshino, analyzed closer, saying, “I think they’ll go with the situation, without deciding who it will be.” Takagi pointed out, “Saito was confident because closer the other game, but I think his confidence will be shaken again after he got hit.” Koshino speculated, “Well, I think that’s probably a problem, so I think Manager Shinjo has told him, including training him. He’s not going to let something like this get him down.” Takagi also paid attention to how he will be used in tomorrow’s battle for the top spot, saying, “There are still big games to come.”
☆ Cooperation: Fuji TV ONE “Professional baseball News 2025”
AloJapan.com