Orix Buffaloes Ryo Ota infielder (24) vowed to become "Ori's Dar," participating in a class in Habikino, Osaka, on April 14, and interacting with about 40 boys and girls. The first time I saw him, I thought, "If only more people would do that..." He dreamed of the day when he would be closer to Darvish (Padres), who has won 208 games in Japan and the United States, in his hometown. baseball baseball

"When people think of Habikino, they think of Darvish. I'd like them to add Ryo Ota to that list." For the 24-year-old rising star, "Darvish," who is 14 years older, is a big star from his hometown. In junior high school, they both belonged to the Habikino Boys team and experienced winning the national championship. In March of this year, following in his senior's footsteps, he became the second person in baseball world to be appointed as a "Habikino Support Ambassador." Just like the right-handed pitcher who donates 100,000 yen to the city's "Children's Welfare Fund" for every win, he himself is seriously considering purchasing a "Ryo seat" at Kyocera Dome and inviting children.

In his seventh professional season, he has made great strides, batting .283 with 10 Home Run and 52 RBI. "Succeeding in baseball is the most important thing," he says, striving for even greater heights, becoming a rising star in Minami-Kawachi. (Shunta Nanbu)