The home run king, who had been divided by two monster hitters for five years, and the third powerhouse to break the two-top composition appeared

Apr 30, 2025

Hanshin infielder Sato hit his ninth home run of the season in an away game against Chunichi on the 29th. He leads the Central League in home runs, beating Okamoto by two. Photo capture = Hanshin Tigers SNS

The home run pace is very good this season. He hit 16 home runs in 120 games last year, and this year he hit nine in 24 games. Photo capture = Hanshin Tigers SNS

Satto had an extreme pull hit until last year. This year, the number of balls flying to left-center increased. This is the result of conscious effort. Photo capture = Hanshin Tigers SNS

I could only see two people.

Yakult Swallows 'Monetaka Murakami (25) and Kazuma Okamoto (29), the fourth batter of the Yomiuri Giants. Despite the different teams, close Japanese national team seniors and juniors have shared the Central League home run king for the past five years. Okamoto won the title in 2020 2021 2023 and Murakami in 2021 2022 2024. In 2021, they hit 39 and tied for first place. As the two competed, they built a castle that was difficult for anyone to reach in the Central League when it came to home runs.

Murakami rewrote Japanese baseball history back in 2022. He hit 56 home runs in the same year, surpassing Sadaharu Oh (Wang Jeong-gi, chairman of Softbank Hawks) who hit the most home runs in a single season. Okamoto hit more than 30 home runs for the sixth consecutive year from 2018 to 2023. He shot a personal record of 41 in 2023.

Last year, Murakami hit 33 and Okamoto hit 27, ranking first and second. For the past five years, the two have dominated the first and second places. Even if the 'go-go-taser' hit hard, it remained firmly at the top. Murakami is going to challenge Major League Baseball this winter through the posting system. Okamoto also continues to be rumored to advance to the Major League.

Murakami-Okamoto, 'Two-Top System' may collapse this season. A strong competitor appeared to shake the composition. Sato Teruaki (26), a fifth-year college graduate infielder with the Hanshin Tigers, came up with a scary spirit.

Chunichi Dragons and Nagoya away game on the 29th. In the top of the fourth inning, trailing 0-1, a shot came out in the second at-bat. Ball count 1B1S. Chunichi 39-year-old veteran right-hander Hideaki Wakui hit a high fastball in the middle of a 145 km/h throw and flew it to the right side of the stands at the Bantherindome (Nagoya Dome). He hit a home run in three games.

The ability to target high-course fastballs has improved than before. In a media interview, he said "It was good to be able to contact the high ball accurately.' In his first at-bat in the first inning, he struck out swinging. After the home run, both at-bats were retired with misfires. Despite Sato's home run, Hanshin lost 1-4.

He didn't have a home run at the Banterin Dome last year, but he was strong against Wakui. He went 6 for 11 with a batting average of 0.545-1, a home run and five RBIs.

He hit nine home runs in 24 games and eight in April. He hit seven home runs in April 2022 and September 2023, breaking his monthly record for most home runs.

He is the home run leader, beating Okamoto by two. It is the most home runs in both leagues, Central and Pacific. Dongu Yuma (Orix Buffaloes), Hotaka Yamakawa (Softbank), and Chusei Manami (Nihonham Fighters) are tied for first with five in the Pacific League.

Murakami, who failed to make the opening entry due to injury, played for the first time against Hanshin on the 17th. In his first game three weeks after the opening, he injured his side and was out of power.

Yomiuri No. 4 hitter Okamoto has divided the Central League home run title with Murakami over the past five years. Okamoto hit seven home runs until the 29th, ranking second, two behind Sato. Photo capture =Miuri Giants SNS

It was good in scoring chances. He is tied for first in RBIs with Okamoto by posting eight hits in 26 at-bats and a batting average of 0.308.23 RBIs with runners in scoring position. Sato, who played as the third player at the beginning of the season, has recently increased his number of appearances four times.

I hit my debut season in 2021 and 24 home runs in 2023. This is the highest personal record in a season. He has exceeded 20 for three consecutive years since his first year as a professional, and played in 120 games last year and hit 16. Koshien Stadium, which is far from the outfield fence, is a home stadium, so there is a disadvantage in the home run competition. What is clear is that the home run production capacity has improved compared to last year.

Experts are paying attention to Sato's home run batting direction this season. Sato, a left-handed hitter, made a home run by mainly pulling until last year. Most of the ball headed to the right. He pulled it to the out-course ball. This year, the number of balls flying to the left with the back screen at the center increased. A baseball expert from the field said "Swing has become natural" He also said, `I used to be dragged by a pitcher, but now I lead it.'

Murakami, who is about to enter the Major League this winter, injured his side in his first game in three weeks since the opening, and his registration was canceled. Photo capture = Yakult Swallows SNS

Sato "I've been trying to increase my fastball response since last offseason. I consciously tried to strike to left-center", he explained. This preparation is showing up as a result. If one home run is added, it will be a double-digit home run for the fifth consecutive year. Sato, who had a lot of third base defensive errors, has one this year.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.