Ori Udagawa was under control at the end of July … and was also active in the postseason
In this season’s Pacific League, 20 training players are promoted to under control. That’s a lot more than last season’s 11. In addition to the group returning to control, newcomers who are active in the first army also appear. A middle pitcher was particularly impressive. This time we look back at the relievers who have been promoted under control this season.
First of all, Orix pitcher Yuki Udagawa. Last season in his first year, he pitched once on the farm, but this season he pitched 15 pitches with an ERA of 1.88, and was under control on July 28. He attracted attention with his powerful pitching style, which marked the fastest 157 km, and marked his first professional victory once morest Seibu on September 8th. After that, it became established in the winning pattern of the team competing for the championship, and pitched in 6 games in the postseason. He was an integral part of the team towards the end of the season.
Orix pitcher Daisuke Kondo has been part of the middle team, pitching 50 games for three consecutive years since 2017, but in 2020 he received Tommy John surgery on his right elbow and moved to a training contract. This season, which has returned to actual competition following rehabilitation, he showed overwhelming pitching with no goals in eight consecutive games at the farm from the opening, and returned to control on April 25. He scored 15 holds, including winning the first victory in three years, and marked a career-high ERA of 2.10 following establishing himself in the first army.
At Softbank, pitcher Teruya Fujii showed great success. He joined Hiroshima in 4th place in the 2014 draft, but left the team in 2020. Still, last year, he achieved good results in the Shikoku Island League plus Kochi Fighting Dogs, and returned to NPB with a training contract this season. Succeeded in appealing in the open game and was promoted under control on March 22, just before the opening. Armed with a powerful fastball and “Forsla” that sharply falls while sliding sideways, he achieved a break in his 7th year as a professional with 5 wins, 1 loss, 22 holds, and an ERA of 1.12 in 55 games. Next season, he is expected to switch to the starting lineup, and attention will be focused on his work in his new position.
