This project looks back on the 2026 season of the Pacific League warriors. We will review the performance of pitcher Koki Kitayama, who won his first titles for 'Most Wins' and 'Highest Winning Percentage' for Hokkaido Nippon-Ham, which finished in 3rd place this season with 78 wins, 62 losses, and 3 draws for a .557 winning percentage.

He won his first title and was also named Monthly MVP. It was a breakout season in which he secured two pitcher titles.

In 2025, Koki Kitayama started 22 games, reaching the regulation innings pitched for the first time in his career. Despite a strong performance with an ERA of 1.63, he finished second behind pitcher Moinelo 's 1.46 and fell short of winning the 'Best ERA' title. His first appearance this season was on April 1st against Chiba Lotte Marines, where he took the loss after giving up 4 runs in 5.2 innings.

However, in his second start on the 8th against Tohoku Rakuten Eagles, he recorded his first win of the season with a brilliant performance, allowing no runs on 3 hits and 1 Walk with 10 strike outs over 8 innings. On May 3rd against Orix Buffaloes, he threw a shutout game for the first time in two years with 3 hits, no Walks or Hit by Pitch, and 7 strike outs, starting a 7-game winning streak from there. In June specifically, he won his first 'Monthly MVP' award with a 4-0 record, a 0.91 ERA, and 2 complete games including 1 shutout game in 4 games.

Although he struggled during the summer, he reached double-digit wins for the first time in his career on August 28th against Chiba Lotte Marines. He recorded 2 wins in 3 games in September and marked his 13th win in the final appearance of the season on October 1st against Chiba Lotte Marines. With this win, he met the conditions for 'Highest Winning Percentage' and tied for the 'Most Wins' title with Orix Buffaloes pitcher Espinoza.

As a result, although his ERA dropped from the previous year's 1.63, it was still an excellent 2.56. He won two Pacific League pitcher titles, making it a breakout year. Next season, he will continue to support the team as a rotation pillar and aim for the long-awaited championship.

◇Koki Kitayama pitcher 2026 Stats
24 Games 13 Wins 3 Losses 147.2 IP 139 strike outs, ERA 2.56 WHIP 1.02