With 2,000 hits in total, 33 consecutive at-bats ahead, is there no responsibility for the manager of the third consecutive appointment?

May 08, 2025

Rakuten's leading hitter Asamura's slump is deepening. He had no hits in five at-bats against Chiba Lotte on the 7th. He has been hitless for 33 consecutive at-bats in the past seven games. Photo Capture = Sports Nippon



With 2,000 hits in total, 33 consecutive at-bats ahead, is there no responsibility for the manager of the third consecutive appointment?
Rakuten's leading hitter Asamura fell into a severe slump ahead of his career-high 2,000 hits. He has been hitless for 33 consecutive times in the last seven games. Photo capture = Rakuten Eagles SNS
With 2,000 hits in total, 33 consecutive at-bats ahead, is there no responsibility for the manager of the third consecutive appointment?
Rakuten Asamura hit triple-digit hits for 12 consecutive years since 2013, when he was a member of Seibu. Photo capture = Rakuten Eagles SNS
The third batter lost his presence.

Rakuten Eagles' flagship hitter Eito Asamura (35) is unlikely to go to the stadium these days. He is in a terrible slump and is about to die ahead of his career of 2000 hits. Chances are cut off every time in the third batting order, which should serve as a troubleshooter. The top hitter, who the opposing pitcher feared the most, was reduced to an outcount maker.

Asamura finished the away game against the Chiba Lotte Marines on the 7th without a hit. He was out with a fly ball to center field in the first and second innings, a ground ball to second base in the fifth inning, and a fly ball to right field in the seventh inning. Last at-bat in the ninth inning, trailing 3-7. He finished with a shortstop double play with one out and one on the first base. No hits in five at-bats.




In the second inning, trailing 1-2, he blew a full base chance. Rakuten, who was dragged 0-2, followed one point. Rookie Muneyama Rui, the first-place nominee, hit a timely hit. No. 2 Hiroto Kobukata got on base with a straight walk and loaded the bases with two outs. A big chance that can change the flow with one shot. Asamura turned to an outfield fly ball.

No. 3-Designated hitter against the softbank Hawks on April 27. He hit a heavy hit in his first at-bat in the first inning and hit another heavy hit in his third at-bat in the fifth inning. He has been silent after hitting his 1990 and 1991 career hits in the game. He has no hits in seven games and 33 consecutive at-bats. It is the most hitless streak since his debut in the first team in 2010.

As of Tuesday, Rakuten had a batting average of 0.241 (27 hits in 112 at-bats), four homers and 15 RBIs. Rakuten had two wins and five losses in seven games in which Asamura had no hit. He is fourth in three games behind the first-place Orix Buffaloes.




With 2,000 hits in total, 33 consecutive at-bats ahead, is there no responsibility for the manager of the third consecutive appointment?
Miki, who took the helm for the second time late last year. Photo capture = Rakuten Eagles SNS
Up to 2000 hits, '-9'

Even a 17-year-old professional veteran was not free from the pressure. Asamura said "I'm not swinging, maybe because I'm nervous. It continues to cause trouble to the team. I can't wait to get back to normal. He said he was looking for a solution while watching the batting video.

As the slump deepens, there are strong calls for change. It is argued that they should get off or give them a break in the bottom batting order. If it was a player with a small name value, measures would have already been followed.




Asamura has played three times in all of the past seven games. Despite the severe batting slump, coach Mickey Hajime did not touch the batting order. Critics say he is irresponsible as a head coach who has to think about the entire team.

Asamura has had more than 100 hits for 12 consecutive years from 2013 to last year. He ranked first in home runs in 2020 (32) and 2023 (26) and has been named best nine eight times. He has a career batting average of 0.277-301 home runs and 1147 RBIs. He reached 300 home runs last month.

I've been on the best path so far. He started with Seibu in 2009 and moved to Rakuten in 2019. For 4 years-2 billion yen (about 19.5 billion won), FA (free agent) system
With 2,000 hits in total, 33 consecutive at-bats ahead, is there no responsibility for the manager of the third consecutive appointment?
Asamura had no hits in five at-bats in an away game at Chiba Lotte on the 7th. Rakuten won only two games in the past seven games when Asamura was silent. Photo capture = Rakuten Eagles SNS
I took medicine. Asamura re-signed four years to two billion yen after the 2022 season.

Reporter Min Chang-ki huelva@sportschosun.com



This article was translated by Naver AI translator.