On August 15th, Chunichi Dragons pitcher Sho Nakata announced his retirement at the end of the 2025 season. He was a three-time Pacific League RBI leader and contributed to Hokkaido Nippon-Ham' league and Japan championships. We look back on his 18 years, including his time with The Giants and Chunichi.

When was your first hit and first Home Run?

While at Osaka Toin High School, he played in Koshien three times, hitting four Home Run in both spring and summer tournaments, and was a promising young player even before turning pro. In the 2007 high school draft, Nakata was selected in the first round by four teams: Orix, Hanshin Tigers Tigers, Fukuoka Softbank, and Hokkaido Nippon-Ham. He eventually joined Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, who had acquired the negotiating rights.

His first professional appearance was in his second year, 2009, at Sapporo Dome on May 23rd against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. He was selected for his first starting line-up as the seventh batter and designated hitter, and recorded hit first hit in his first at-bat, a single to left field. On September 27th of the same year, he scored his first RBI with sacrifice fly against Fukuoka Softbank. His long-awaited first professional home run came in his third year, 2010, against Chiba Lotte Marines. In his 91st at-bat, he hit it into the left-field stands at Sapporo Dome.

He became a regular player in 2011, his fourth year as a pro, playing in 143 games. In 2012, he was in starting line-up starting lineup for 144 games and contributed to the team's league championship. In 2013, he had 28 Home Run, second in the league, a batting average of .300 for the first time, and a slugging percentage of .550, and he was named to the Best Nine for the first time, and was selected for the award for four consecutive years until 2016.

Won RBI title in 2014, 2016, and 2020

Nakata's career is highlighted by his three RBI titles. In 2014, he achieved 100 RBI for the first time in a season, becoming his first batting title.

The second time was in 2016, when Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters won Pacific League for the first time in four years. Nakata played in 141 games and led the team, winning RBI title with a career-high 110 RBI. He also performed well in the postseason that year, winning the MVP award in the Climax Series and hitting Home Run in Game 4 of the Japan Series, contributing to the team's first Japan Series championship in 10 years.

The 2020 season was shortened to 120 games due to the pandemic. Nakata and his junior at Osaka Toin High School, Hideto Asamura, competed for home run title until the final game, drawing attention. The final result was Nakata with 31 home runs, and Asamura with 32. Although he fell just one short of the most Home Run and failed to win the batting double crown, he regained his RBI title for the third time with 108 RBI.

Sho Nakata's power as a hitter was on full display with 13 hits, the second-highest number in a single season.

Nakata has accumulated RBI to win. His playing style is reflected in the number of sacrifice fly flies he has hit. In 2018, he hit 13 sacrifice fly, which remains the second-sacrifice fly single-season record behind Katsuo Osugi. His total of 76 sacrifice fly (as of August 25, 2025) ranks 15th in history. Having spent much of his career playing at the spacious Sapporo Dome, Nakata has demonstrated his power to hit long balls when the opportunity presented itself.

While his batting is often what draws attention, defense is also top-notch. He won the Mitsui Golden Glove Award for the first time as first baseman in 2015, and was selected four times in 2016, 2018, and 2020 while playing for Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.

In his later years, he played in Central League. In 2022, he played in 109 games for The Giants.

Traded to The Giants in August 2021. In his first year with the club, he played 34 games with 3 Home Run and batted .154. However, in 2022, his second year with the team, he became a regular first baseman player and was selected for the All-Star Game in a fan vote (he later withdrew due to a positive test for the new coronavirus). On August 23, he became the first Heisei-born player to reach 1000 RBI plate appearances, and became the first in three years to play in over 100 games and hit double Home Run digits. Central League On August 23, he became the first Heisei-born player to win the Mitsui Golden Glove Award, signaling his resurgence as an offensive and defensive player.

On August 6, 2023, in his hometown of Hiroshima, he became the 45th professional baseball player in history to reach a total of 300 Home Run. He is the first Heisei-born player to achieve this feat. On the other hand, his season results were slower than the previous year. In the off-season, it was announced that he would be leaving The Giants and transferring to Chunichi.

Chunichi In the opening game of the 2024 season, Nakata entered the game as a member of the Nakata entered the game starting line-up as "No. 4 first baseman" and went to the left field stands home run in the top of the 5th inning with the score tied. Although he lost the game, he immediately showed his ability. However, he suffered from a breakdown and did not perform well with 4 Home Run 21 RBI in 62 games.

first baseman starting line-up On April 22, his 36th birthday, he hit his second solo shot of the season, but was removed from the roster on May 13 due to back pain.

Don't forget the "general" who suits the number 4.

Hokkaido Nippon-Ham While shifting his playing field from The Giants to Chunichi, he has opened starting line-up the season for 16 consecutive years from 2010 to this season, and has been selected for the All-Star team a total of 10 times. He was selected as an All-Star 10 times and was expected to be the center of the Japanese batting lineup in international tournaments as well, participating in the WBC in 2013 and 2017 and the Premier 12 in 2015. Nakata, who is loved by the nickname "General" and fits the role of "No. 4," will have his retirement ceremony on September 19 at Vantelin Dome. Pacific League It will be a match that fans will want to remember for a long time to come.

Text by Ayako Kikuchi