Orix Buffaloes Buffaloes pitcher Shumpeita Yamashita, who underwent Tommy John (TJ) surgery on his right elbow in the United States, is currently undergoing rehabilitation with the aim of returning to play in May of next year.

"It's been decided that I'll return a year after the surgery. There's a big difference between returning in June and returning in May, so I decided to have the surgery right away." On June 3rd, Yamashita, who had finished his rehabilitation at the team's facility in Maishima, Osaka, looked straight ahead.

Yamashita joined Orix Buffaloes in 2020 as the first overall pick in the draft from Fukuoka Ohori High School. In his third year, he made his first-team debut as the opening day pitcher, and won the Rookie of the Year award with a record of 9 wins and 3 losses and ERA of 1.61. However, the following year he only managed 3 wins (6 losses), and in 2025 he only appeared in 4 games and managed just 1 win.
　
His professional career was plagued by injuries such as lower back pain as he grew, but this season he continued training from the offseason. He returned to Osaka from his hometown of Fukuoka on the night of New Year's Day, and from the 2nd he was sweating it out at the training facility, and on the 4th he was the first to arrive at the Maishima indoor practice field. To reduce the strain on his lower back, he corrected his body's tilt and adopted a new form with a lower arm, and he also worked on a new pitch called the "slutter," and was progressing so well that he was even mentioned as a candidate for the opening pitcher.

However, he injured his right elbow during a preseason game, missing the opening day roster, and although he aimed to return, he was unable to recover as he had hoped. Just when he was getting better, the pain would return. He said that as he watched his body's reaction, he began to think that Tommy John surgery might be necessary. He could have chosen conservative treatment, but he was told that there was no guarantee that it would heal completely. It didn't take him long to decide that surgery was the only way to heal completely.

"There was an option to not have the surgery, but I thought that if I didn't, I wouldn't be able to throw 160km anymore. When I thought about that, I felt I had to do it, even if it meant taking some risks. It's my baseball career, after all. I need to throw 160km. I need power pitching," he confessed.

He decided on the "hybrid method" of Tommy John surgery, which offers a shorter recovery period. Although it was possible to have the surgery domestically, he consulted with the team about having the surgery performed by a renowned surgeon who has performed many cases and has also operated on players like pitcher Ohtani (Dodgers), and they approved. Although there was no precedent, they readily agreed, and Yamashita said, "They thought about my future and said, 'Okay.' I can't thank them enough."

"I'm the most surprised that this day has come. Every time I put on the brace, it reminds me that I've had Tommy John surgery." It's been about three weeks since the surgery, and he still hasn't fully grasped it. He only takes the brace off when bathing and during rehabilitation treatments. He also uses his left hand to eat. "I think this will be a good time. If I don't make it a good time, it's all over." When he returns, he will contribute to the team as part of the New Shunpeita.

Interview and text by Masaki Kitano