It's hard to pick 5 people, but 8 people are starting rotation! Another shutout in 14 days, the secret to the third year of growth? I'm the manager.

May 24, 2025

It's hard to pick 5 people, but 8 people are starting rotation! Another shutout in 14 days, the secret to the third year of growth? I'm the manager.
Nihonham right-hander Kanemura pitched nine shutout innings in an away game in Rakuten on the 23rd. All four wins this season are complete games. Photo capture = Nippon-Ham Fighters SNS



It's hard to pick 5 people, but 8 people are starting rotation! Another shutout in 14 days, the secret to the third year of growth? I'm the manager.
Kanemura threw a complete game against Rakuten on May 9 and pitched again against Rakuten in 14 days, recording a shutout. Photo capture = Nippon-Ham Fighters SNS
It's hard to pick 5 people, but 8 people are starting rotation! Another shutout in 14 days, the secret to the third year of growth? I'm the manager.
Kanemura went to the opening game against Seibu on March 28 and pitched nine shutout innings. He won the shutout for the first time in his third year. Photo capture = Nippon-Ham Fighters SNS
He also overwhelmed the opponent's lineup. It looks easy to complete nine innings.

Nippon Ham Fighters right-hander Shoma Kanemura (25) posted his third shutout in May. On the 23rd, he recorded five hits and no runs in nine innings in an away game against the Rakuten Eagles. He gave up one walk and struck out six in 32 batters. He led the team to a 1-0 victory with 104 pitches. It is the fourth complete game this season, including the opening game. Both ball control and stamina were perfect.

The first, fourth, sixth, and ninth innings ended with three outs. He overcame the loss crisis twice without hesitation. In the third inning, with two outs and runners on the second and third bases, Murabayashi Itsuki grounded out to the second base, and in the eighth inning, with two outs and runners on the first and second bases, he caught second pinch hitter Hiroaki Shimauchi on a foul fly to the third base.




No. 4 Gunji Yuya hit a home run to the left in the second inning as the leadoff hitter. Kanemura's scoreless complete pitching saved the bullpen. The day before (22nd), Nippon Ham had a close game against the Softbank Hawks in the 11th inning of overtime. Six pitchers, including the starter, were put in and lost 3-4.

He joined as a rookie 2nd designated player in 2023. It bloomed in its third year of college. Kanemura went to the opening game against the Seibu Lions on March 28 and pitched nine innings of six-hit shutout. He recorded his first shutout victory in the professional league with 105 pitches. He pitched nine innings of five-hit shutout against the Orix Buffaloes on April 20 and one run and complete in nine innings against Rakuten on May 9.

All four wins (2 losses, 1.90 ERA) recorded this season are complete games.




He went back and forth between the starting pitcher and the bullpen last year. He has changed significantly this year with seven wins, six losses and six holds with a 2.38 ERA in 29 games without a complete game. When asked about the secret of Kanemura's growth, coach Tsuyoshi Shinjo laughed, saying, `Thanks to me.' It's a joke, but it deserves pride.

At the end of last year, coach Shinjo notified Kanemura as the starter for the opening game. I instilled a certain belief and made it possible to prepare.

It's hard to pick 5 people, but 8 people are starting rotation! Another shutout in 14 days, the secret to the third year of growth? I'm the manager.
Gunji hit a one-run home run in the third inning against Rakuten on the 23rd. This home run became the winning hit that made it 1-0. Photo capture = Nippon-Ham Fighters SNS
It's hard to pick 5 people, but 8 people are starting rotation! Another shutout in 14 days, the secret to the third year of growth? I'm the manager.
Nihonham won 1-0 with Kanemura's complete pitching. Coach Shinjo is giving high fives with the players shortly after the game on the 23rd. Photo capture = Nippon-Ham Fighters SNS
Usually, coach Shinjo emphasizes that starting pitchers should develop their complete pitching skills. He says he should be able to take charge of the game by himself. Kanemura certainly lived up to the manager's expectations, which emphasized the ability to play innings.

The head coach created an environment in which a complete game was possible. Kanemura took the mound 14 days after taking the mound against Rakuten on May 9. He won the shutout on the 23rd and will be excluded from the first team entry on the 24th. Usually, Japanese teams move as starters on the 6th. Unless there are variables, they go out every 7 days, and Kanemura has a longer rest period. You can accumulate power and throw it.

Manager Shinjo explained, `It's a waste to exclude a pitcher who won a shutout from the entry, but the pitching coach decides the schedule for the mound.' It is a schedule adjustment that takes into account the team situation and player characteristics. If you go the way you do now, it will be difficult to fill the regular innings.

It is also difficult to select five players, but Nippon Ham will go in an eight-man rotation. This is possible due to the abundance of selection resources. Ten complete games out of 44 games were played until the 28th. It is the largest among the 12 teams in both Japanese professional baseball leagues. Five starting pitchers reported complete games and three shutouts.

It's hard to pick 5 people, but 8 people are starting rotation! Another shutout in 14 days, the secret to the third year of growth? I'm the manager.
Honham, which succeeded in rebuilding, is leading the Pacific League as of the 23rd. Photo capture = Nippon-Ham Fighters SNS
As of the 23rd, Nippon Ham has a team ERA of 2.37. The Pacific League ranks first in the category. Thanks to his strong pitching ability, he leads the league. It is two games apart from the second-place Orix. Nippon Ham bottomed out in 2022-2023 under coach Shinjo and finished second last year. It gained strength as it succeeded in reorganizing the team centered on young players.



This article was translated by Naver AI translator.