22 consecutive hitless-batting percentage of 0.206 dropped, 2nd division fell 38 games after returning to Japan, blocked by superpower 'thugotazer'
Jul 05, 2024
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▶The Yakult match at Yokohama Stadium on July 3rd. The Yokohama bench moved in the bottom of the eighth inning with a 3-3 score. He replaced Tsutsugo in the absence of a runner with two outs. a fly ball to center field. He stepped down in a daze. At the ball count of 2B2S, the opponent's right-hander Hiroki Onishi failed to hit a low-course changeup outside. Yokohama lost 3-5 in the top of the ninth inning by allowing two runs.
No hits in 22 consecutive games. The sense of hitting is at rock bottom. He was excluded from the starting lineup for the seventh consecutive game. He didn't even have a chance to play in the game against Yakult on the 4th. When he returned from a major league challenge in May, few expected him to watch the game on the Yokohama bench. On the 4th, Yokohama won 3-0.
Yokohama is in second place, two games behind the first-place Hiroshima Carp. They are competing fiercely with Hiroshima, Hanshin Tigers, and Yomiuri Giants. The second to fourth places are changing depending on the results of each game. He lost his presence when he was supposed to be supportive.
Tsutsugo goes down to the second team. It is the first time in 38 games that he has registered for the first team since joining on May 6. He returned to Yokohama and recorded 26 hits in 126 at-bats and a batting average of .260. He posted six home runs, 18 RBIs, and OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.725.
Of the 26 hits, 15 (six doubles and three triples) are long balls. The power was still good, but the batting average was too low. In particular, the batting pace dropped sharply at the end of the first half. He has a batting average of 155 (nine hits in 58 times at bat) in 19 games since June. He was weak in chances again. With runners in the scoring position, he only hit 7 for 35 with a batting average of 200.
Tsutsugo is the fourth hitter who led Yokohama's offense in the mid-to-late 2010s. Expectations were high that he would give strength to the center batting line along with Makishugo (26), the fourth player in his fourth year as a pro this year. At the beginning of his return, he couldn't continue to have a good atmosphere. Use this
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Japanese media reported that infielder Inoue Kento, who joined as a rookie six-place name in 2024, fills the vacancy of Tsugo.
When he stopped the challenge and decided to return to Japan, not only Yokohama but also the Yomiuri Giants moved. Yomiuri's manager Abe Shinnosuke tried to strengthen his long-shot power and pushed for recruitment. Yokohama fans were forced to return to BayStars, where they were waiting. The Yokohama club waited with his number '25' empty.
The fans gave him a warm welcome. He was voted an All-Star in a fan vote. However, it became difficult to play in the All-Star Game.
Tsutsugo played 10 seasons for Yokohama until 2019 with a batting average of 285-977 hits-205 home runs-613 RBIs. In 2016, when he hit 44 home runs, he became the Central League home run king. In the winter of 2019, he signed with the Tampa Bay Rays for two years - $12 million. Major League Baseball was not easy. It was brilliant in the beginning, but it was sluggish. For the past three years, he has moved between the minor leagues and the independent leagues.
This year, he signed a minor league contract with Lee Jung-hoo's team, the San Francisco Giants. Majority
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Major League Baseball and Japanese professional baseball are not easy.
huelva@sportschosun.com
