This project looks back on the 2026 season of the Pacific League warriors. This season, we will look back on the performances of Kensuke Kondo and Ukyo Shuto from Fukuoka Softbank, who achieved their third consecutive PERSOL Pacific League title with overwhelming strength.

Achieved a career total of 1500 hits in his hometown of Chiba

Kondo, who led the team with a batting average of .309, played in 139 games, the second most of his career. Last season, he was limited to 75 games due to the effects of surgery, but this year he completed the season in perfect condition, creating many memorable moments.

First, on August 27th against Chiba Lotte Marines, he hit his 1500th career hit in his first at-bat, achieving the milestone in his hometown of Chiba. On September 22nd against Orix Buffaloes, he marked his first season RBI hit This season, his teammate Ryoya Kurihara had reached the milestone earlier, making it the first time in 23 years, since 2003, that multiple Japanese players have reached 100 RBI.

Furthermore, he hit home runs in four consecutive games from September 26 to October 2, and on October 5 against Tohoku Rakuten Eagles, he achieved his 1500th career game appearance. From June to October, his monthly batting average never fell below .300, and this season he received the "Daiju Life Monthly MVP Award" three times, in March/April, July, and September/October.

Furthermore, Kondo became only the fifth player in NPB history to record 100 Walk for the third time in his career, and with an on-base percentage of .431, he won the highest on-base percentage award for the fifth time in two years. He also posted excellent results with a .300 batting average, 30 Home Run, and 100 RBI. He was second in the league in batting RBI and Home Run, and third in home runs and hit, achieving results in all aspects and greatly contributing to the team's third consecutive championship.

The stolen base success rate exceeded 80% for the second consecutive year.

In his 9th professional year, Shuto played in a career-high 127 games and was crowned the stolen base leader for the fourth consecutive year. After achieving his 250th career stolen base in the July 15th game against Hokkaido Nippon-Ham, he recorded the first inside-the-park grand slam of the 21st century in the September 8th game against Hokkaido Nippon-Ham, the first since Hiroki Kokubo (current Fukuoka Softbank first-team manager) in 1999.

Late in the season, with only '2' left to reach 30 stolen bases for the fourth consecutive year, he injured his left knee. Although he was removed from the roster, he immediately recorded his 29th steal in the October 1st game upon returning to the first team, and in the final game of the regular season, he successfully stole second base to reach 30 stolen bases for the fourth consecutive year. His stolen base success rate this season was .857, marking the second consecutive year he has maintained a figure over 80%.

◇Kensuke Kondo 2026 Stats
139 games 601 plate appearances 151 hits 32 Home Runs 108 RBI .309 AVG .431 OBP .999 OPS

◇Ukyo Shuto 2026 Stats
127 games 550 plate appearances 133 hits 4 Home Runs 39 RBI 30 stolen bases .275 AVG .337 OBP .699 OPS