The manager's winning move or taking it out of anger, early replacement in the 3rd inning when the three-bunt failed, and the team's No. 1 hitting shortstop (Min Chang-ki's Japanese baseball) who cried in the dugout

Jul 18, 2025

The manager's winning move or taking it out of anger, early replacement in the 3rd inning when the three-bunt failed, and the team's No. 1 hitting shortstop (Min Chang-ki's Japanese baseball) who cried in the dugout
Yomiuri Izuguchi jumped to the main shortstop this year, his second year as a professional. As of the 17th, he is the No. 1 hit and No. 2 hit in the team. Photo capture =Miuri Giants SNS



The manager's winning move or taking it out of anger, early replacement in the 3rd inning when the three-bunt failed, and the team's No. 1 hitting shortstop (Min Chang-ki's Japanese baseball) who cried in the dugout
Coach Yomiuri Abe made a disciplinary change in defense in the bottom of the third inning when No. 5 Izuguchi missed the opportunity with a three-bunt out on the 17th. Photo capture =Miuri Giants SNS
The Yomiuri Giants-Yakurt Swallows match at Meiji Jingu Stadium in Tokyo on the 17th. There was a lot of tension from the beginning. The away team Yomiuri scored the first point in the top of the second inning, and Yakult succeeded in counterattack in the bottom of the second inning. At 1-1 in the top of the third inning, the Yomiuri-centered lineup created a scoring chance. No. 3 Yoshikawa Naoki and No. 4 Sakamoto Hayato had consecutive hits. First and second bases with no outs. No. 5 Yuta Izuguchi (26) entered the batter's box for the second time. It's the beginning, but there's a bunt sign to send it according to the standard.

The game did not go as intended on the Yomiuri bench. The opposing pitcher can't give a good bunt. He hit a low course outside the left-handed batter in a row. Izuguchi tried to bunt one or two pitches in a row but failed. Ball count 2S. Sent a high ball outside off. 1S2B. Forkball dug into the low side of the out course. Izuguchi tried to bunt again. The ball became a foul. Three bunt out. 茫然's 失.

In the end, there was no hit or timely hit. No. 6 Aramaki Yu was thrown out with a foul fly to the third baseman and No. 7 Nakayama Raito was grounded out to shortstop. The first and second bases with no outs were lost.




Director Abe Shinnosuke moved. Izuguchi was taken out during the defense in the bottom of the third inning. Makoto Kadowaki was placed in the shortstop position. It was a disciplinary action for a three-bunt failure. Japanese media said Izuguchi showed tears in the dugout. It must have been very unfortunate and unfair. A colleague around him consoled him.

However, Izuguchi is the No. 1 batting average in the team. He has a batting average of 0.279 (81 hits in 290 at-bats) in 76 of 86 games this season. 센트럴리그 타격 7위
The manager's winning move or taking it out of anger, early replacement in the 3rd inning when the three-bunt failed, and the team's No. 1 hitting shortstop (Min Chang-ki's Japanese baseball) who cried in the dugout
Yomiuri's second-year infielder Izuguchi hit a home run in two consecutive games against the Chunichi Dragons last week. Photo capture =Miuri Giants SNS
C. After Yoshikawa (88), he ranks second in hits in the team and 11th in the league. His batting average in scoring position is not bad either. It is 0.279 (17 hits in 61 at-bats). Considering that 'Let's Go Let's Go Let's Go Let's Go Let's Go Let's Go' Last week, he hit a home run in two consecutive games against the Chunichi Dragons.

Strong charisma is good, but emotional response does not help the team. There is room for anger following failure. This is why some fans criticize Izuguchi's early replacement. Regarding the replacement of Izuguchi, Abe explained, `I changed it because I thought it would not help the team today.' Izuguchi struck out three pitches in the first inning with two outs and runners on first and second bases.




Izuguchi joined the club with four new names in 2024. After graduating from Aoyama University, he went through social baseball and became a member of the Yomiuri Giants. In his second year as a professional, he emerged as a main player. This year is the first full-time season. He grew his presence with a sophisticated strike.

As a result, the early replacement game did not work. Kadowaki, who entered Izuguchi's position, went 0 for 2. He struck out a fly ball to left field in the fifth inning and swung and missed in the eighth inning.

Even though he usually bunt training, it is not easy in practice. On this day, Yomiuri failed to send bunt from three chances. He swallowed his regret in the top of the second inning with one out and runners on first and second bases, and in the seventh inning with no outs. Failed to get flow due to sending bunt failure.




The manager's winning move or taking it out of anger, early replacement in the 3rd inning when the three-bunt failed, and the team's No. 1 hitting shortstop (Min Chang-ki's Japanese baseball) who cried in the dugout
No. 4 Sakamoto struck out swinging with the bases loaded with two outs in the top of the ninth inning. The Yomiuri Giants lost to the last-place Yakult by a score of 2-3. Two wins in a row and two losses in a row. He is in second place, nine games behind the leading Hanshin Tigers.





This article was translated by Naver AI translator.