Lotte's Atsuki Tomosugi reached the required number of plate appearances for the season on the 7th, ranking 8th in the league with a batting average of .283.
Tomosugi started on the bench for the opening game against Seibu Lions on March 27th and the game Seibu Lions the following day on the 28th. However, he got his first hit of the season in the game Seibu Lions on the 28th, coming in as defense at short stop. The following day, March 29th, he made his first starting line-up of the season as the number 8 At Bat and short stop against Seibu Lions. He went 0-hit 2 and was replaced by a pinch hitter during the game. On April 4th, starting line-up started as the number 9 batter and short stop against Softbank Hawks and achieved his first multi-hit of the season, playing the full game. However, even when he starting line-up after that, he was often substituted out or came in as a substitute from defense position.
During the spring training camp in Miyakonojo in February, Tomosugi expressed his strong desire to continue playing in games until the very end, saying, "I have a strong desire to produce results in batting and play in the games until the end."
In the April 19th game Rakuten Eagles, where starting line-up started as the number 7 batter and short stop, he achieved his second multi-hit of the season and played the full game. From that game onward, he was rarely substituted out. In the April 21st game against Orix Buffaloes, he achieved multi-hit for the second consecutive game, and his batting average at the end of April was .340.
During this period, the team often scored runs through opportunities created by the number 7 batter, Tomosugi, or after opportunities were created by the cleanup hitters. In the game Rakuten Eagles on April 28, with the score tied 0-0 in the 5th inning, Tomosugi, the leadoff batter of the inning, advanced to scoring position with hit and stolen base, which led to a timely single to right field by the number 8 batter, Toshiya Sato In the game Seibu Lions on May 3, he delivered two timely hits in clutch situations.
After Fujiwara was sidelined due to injury, he took on the 9th and 2nd batting order previously held by Ryusei Ogawa. In the May 20th game Seibu Lions, where he started as the 9th batter and short stop, in his starting line-up at-bat in the 9th inning with one out and runners on first and third, he executed a game-winning safety squeeze down third base line off fastball thrown by Shunsuke Sato on a 2-ball, 1-strike. In the May 23rd game against Rakuten Eagles, where he played as the 2nd batter and short stop, he had a spectacular game with 4 hit. Defensively, in the same game against Rakuten Eagles, in the 7th inning with the score 2-6, he made a sliding backhand catch of a ball hit between third base and shortstop by Ryosuke Tatsumi, the leadoff batter, and quickly throw to first base for the out.
Furthermore, in Rakuten Eagles game on the same day, with the score tied 6-6 in the bottom of the 9th inning with one out and a runner on second base, he made a great base-base running play, scoring the winning run from second base when Misho Nishikawa hit a ball that was jammed down the left field line. In the game against Hiroshima on May 27, with the score tied 3-3 in the bottom of the 7th inning with one out and runners on second and third base, he took advantage of a slight gap when catcher Mochimaru Taiki fumbled Sato Toshiya Sato 's first pitch towards pitcher, and slid headfirst into home plate from third base to score the winning run.
His dynamism is noticeable in offense, defense, and baserunning. "I'm trying my best in every game," he said. At bat, he's hitting fewer pop flies to right field and more line drive drives to left, center fielder, and right field. "Yes, as a team, we're trying to be a little more on the straight, so I think I'm able to adjust to that."
I've said many times before that I'm trying to hit the ball with the intention of hitting it in front of the point, but I wonder if I'm finally making it my own.
"I'm consciously trying to keep my body from moving forward while I'm moving forward."
He had said during spring training that he wanted to play every game, and although he was substituted out of the game The Giants on the 5th for the first time since the game against Seibu Lions on April 11th, he has continued to play the full game in all other games. In the games against The Giants on the 6th and 7th, which ended in a tie after 12 extra inning, he played the full game in both and recorded multiple hit. "I've been able to play until the end so far, so even if I get out, I think it's a little easier to move on." We hope he will fight for short stop position throughout the season. A permanent starting spot awaits him beyond that.
Interview and text by Yuta Iwashita
