Orix Buffaloes pitcher Yuki Udagawa, who is aiming to return to the game after undergoing Tommy John (TJ) surgery, recorded a top speed of 156 km/h in his first game appearance in a minor league game, making significant progress towards being reinstated to the main roster.
"Becoming a reliever player is definitely something I should aim for, but I won't be able to move up unless I can keep up with the relief pitchers on the first team. I'm practicing so that I can pitch in the winning pattern on the first team." One day after making his return to competitive play in regular season, Udagawa's expression became serious at the team's facilities in Maishima, Osaka.
Udagawa is from Saitama Prefecture. He joined Orix Buffaloes in 2020 as the third pick in the developmental draft after graduating from Saitama Prefectural Yashio Minami High School and Sendai University. Armed with a powerful fastball and a sharp fork, he was registered as a regular player in his second year and contributed to the team's first championship in 26 years alongside pitcher Soichiro Yamazaki. In his third year, he was a member of Samurai Japan and experienced winning the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in 2023. He appeared in 46 games in 2023 and contributed to the team's third consecutive league championship, but in his fourth year, he was limited to 13 appearances due to right shoulder and right elbow pain, and underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2025, returning to the developmental league.
It was Yamazaki who supported him through his difficult rehabilitation. Yamazaki, who joined the team as a sixth-round draft pick from Tsuruga Kehi High School, was his senior in terms of joining the pros, but they were both born in 1998, so it didn't take long for them to become close friends. Yamazaki also underwent Tommy John surgery in his third year with the team and made a comeback. In 2023, the two of them supported bullpen together.
In mid-April this year, Udagawa received a LINE message from Yamazaki. "Come back soon and help the team." It was a message from Yamazaki expressing his hope that Udagawa would be able to return to the main roster and fight alongside him in the first team. Udagawa replied with an image of a scene from the anime "Dragon Ball" where Goku is receiving treatment in a "medical machine." The "medical machine" is a device that heals damage sustained in battle, and in the story, it allows Goku to fully recover his fighting ability and defeat powerful enemies. Udagawa's message was, "Please wait a little longer until I'm fully recovered."
In his second practice game appearance on April 14 against the Tokushima Indigo Socks (at Sugimoto Shoji Bs Maishima), his fastball velocity was 153 km/h, but on May 3 in a minor league interleague game against Lotte (at the same location), he recorded 156 km/h (according to the team's measurements). "fork to get ahead in count was still a bit weak, but the quality of my big, sharp fork is getting better and better. It's not that my fastball is the foundation of my fork, or that fork is the foundation of my fastball; both are my weapons. I want to keep improving them," said Udagawa.
"I've also had Tommy John surgery, so I understand the pain. He's a teammate I played with when we won the championship. I hope he'll come back as a strong pitcher soon so we can push each other to improve." Yamazaki, who regained his original fastball speed in the games against Lotte on May 5th and 6th (Kyocera Dome), offered his support.
The day is near when Udagawa will break free from "Medical Machine" and make a full comeback.
Interview and text by Masaki Kitano
