In his sixth season this year, Orix Buffaloes player Ryoto Kita, who achieved a career-high performance including hitting two Home Run in a single game three times, cited the presence of his wife, professional female golfer Karen Tsuruoka (Meiji Yasuda), as the secret to his breakthrough.

"It's all thanks to my wife. I'm so grateful to her. Every day has been fulfilling." At the team's facility in Maishima, Osaka, where autumn training is being held, Kita expressed his feelings of gratitude toward his wife.

Kita is from Kobe City. He played for the Orix Buffaloes Junior team in his sixth year of elementary school, and in the quarterfinals of Koshien during the spring of his second year at Akashi Commercial High School, he recorded the first-ever feat of hitting both a leadoff hitter Home Run and a walk-off home run. He joined the Orix Buffaloes as a third-round draft pick in 2020. In his first professional year, he achieved the unprecedented feat for a rookie out of high school by recording a hit and a Home Run on the first pitch of his first professional plate appearance. This season, he appeared in 103 games and secured a regular position in the outfield with 86 hit in 331 At Bat, 43 RBI, 9 Home Run, and a .260 batting average.

Tsuruoka is from Yokohama City. She turned professional in 2018 and earned her first seed rights in 2024 after finishing tied for second place twice. This season, she finished fourth at the Ai Miyazato Suntory Ladies Open (Rokko Kokusai Golf Club) in June and currently ranks 57th in the Mercedes Rankings (with prize money of 22,736,880 yen) as she competes for a seed position.

The two announced their marriage at the end of last year. Regarding his wife, Kita said, '(Professional golf) is an individual sport, so you have to handle everything yourself, and there are many things I can learn from her. Since we play a team sport, I think it is truly amazing that she competes all alone. I respect how she plays in silence and under such intense pressure.'

Reflecting on this season, which he entered after getting married, Kita said, 'She is a great person to talk to, and since we are both athletes, it is truly wonderful that we can understand each other's feelings. We support each other and push one another to improve. Her presence has been a positive factor for me, and I hope I have been a positive influence on her as well. Having someone to support me by my side has been a huge help in allowing my mind to rest.'

Aiming for a further leap forward, the theme Kita has set for the off-season is 'strengthening physical fitness.' Although he was able to 'complete the race' for a full year without injury, he revealed, 'Actually, I was full of aches and pains.' He said, 'I think there were really few major slumps this year, but my performance dropped as I got tired. I felt that if my physical fitness had been solid, I could have persevered more, so I want to place the most emphasis on that.' He felt keenly the lack of stamina to compete throughout the entire year. 'I believe I won't be able to grow unless I first build my body before moving on to the technical aspects. I want to review everything from scratch and build a solid foundation.' For the sake of his growing family, he is determined to protect his spot in the outfield.

Interview and text by Masaki Kitano