Two hitter belonging to Fukuoka Softbank are among the top players in the OPS rankings.

​Ryoya Kurihara of Fukuoka Softbank Hawks is leading Pacific League in both Home Run and RBI, and has had an impressive performance with an OPS of .918 at the end of the interleague series. It's also interesting to note that Kensuke Kondo, also of The Hawks, has surpassed Kurihara's OPS of .960.

This article introduces the various metrics that Kondo and Kurihara have recorded so far, as well as their characteristics as players based on actual data. We will examine the reasons why both players have shown high productivity, and also look at the "changes" that Kurihara has shown since the start of this season. (*Statistics are as of June 14, 2026)

Maintaining a high level of standards over many years

The following are the year-by-year statistics that Kondo has achieved throughout his career.

Although there have been seasons where injuries prevented him from reaching the required number of plate appearances, he has consistently shown stable hitting in the games he has played, recording a batting average of .298 or higher for nine consecutive years since 2017. In addition, it is noteworthy that he has maintained an excellent on-base percentage of .410 or higher for nine consecutive years since 2017, and has won the highest on-base percentage title four times.

Furthermore, his career BB/K ratio, calculated by dividing Walk by struck out and indicating hitter 's plate discipline, is an exceptionally high 1.062. His BB/K ratio of .950 this season is also the best in the league so far, demonstrating his top-class ability to judge pitches.

Regarding "IsoD," another indicator of plate discipline that shows the difference between batting average and on-base percentage, Kondo's career average is .111, significantly exceeding the generally considered excellent level of .100. As evidenced by the fact that his IsoD has been above .100 for nine consecutive years since 2017, Kondo's exceptional ability to maintain outstanding plate discipline over many years is also evident.

Since transferring teams, his power hitting has improved, further increasing his productivity.

However, since 2020, his slugging percentage has exceeded his career average for six consecutive years, showing changes in his performance in recent years. Notably, in 2023, when he achieved a double crown with 26 Home Run and 87 RBI Home Run and RBI, his role as a strong hitter has been strengthening since his transfer.

Regarding the "ISO," which is described as the "true slugging percentage" and omits the influence of single hit from his slugging percentage, he recorded over .200 for two consecutive years starting from his first year after the transfer in 2023. He is expected to post a solid .191 mark in 2025, and this season has reached a career-best .259, further honing his power hitting.

The "AB/HR," which indicates the At Bat required to hit a single home run, averages 39.22, at a pace of about one home plate appearance every 40 plate appearances. However, from 2023 onward, he recorded numbers under 26 for three consecutive years, and in 2023, when he was crowned Home Run champion, he posted a career-high 18.92. The significantly improved pace of Home Run has further enhanced Kondo's value as a hitter.

As a result, since his transfer in 2023, he has maintained an OPS above .900 for three consecutive years, and has led the league in OPS for two consecutive years in 2023 and 2024. Also, in 2025, although Kondo was unable to reach the required plate appearances due to injury, he recorded an OPS of .903, surpassing Reyes, who recorded the highest OPS among qualified plate appearances that year, with an OPS of .903.

He has returned to a more aggressive hitting style compared to last season.

Next, let's look at the year-by-year metrics that Kurihara has recorded so far.

His career batting average is .262, his on-base percentage is .328, and his IsoD is .067, all of which are generally close to the standard. However, his BB/K ratio is .472, which ranks him 19th out of 26 players who reached the required number of plate appearances, indicating that his plate discipline metrics are not particularly outstanding.

In 2025, he showed significant improvement in his plate discipline with an IsoD of .090 and a BB/K ratio of .597, but in 2026, his IsoD was .061 and his BB/K ratio was .386, both below his career averages. It's interesting to note that after last season's experience of taking a more patient approach to judging pitches, he has returned to a more aggressive hitting style this season and is seeing results.

On the other hand, his AB/HR ratio this season has improved dramatically to a league-leading 12.95, and he is producing Home Run at nearly double his career average pace. His ISO has also reached an astonishing level this season, leading the league at .305, demonstrating a dramatic improvement in his power hitting across various metrics.

This season, his slugging percentage is .581, significantly above his career average, making hitter capable of generating more bases. As a result, his OPS this season is a career-high of .918, an excellent figure. Unlike Kondo, whose high OPS is due to his exceptional plate discipline, this player's dramatic improvement in power hitting has dramatically boosted his OPS, making them a stark contrast.

It has been suggested that he has not been fortunate throughout his career...

Finally, let's look at the "BABIP" metric, which shows the percentage of batted balls that become hit, excluding Home Run. BABIP is thought to be somewhat influenced by luck, and the general benchmark value is .300.

Kondo's career average BABIP is a very high .348, demonstrating that he has been able to produce a large number of hit by utilizing his powerful hitting and the characteristics of left-handed hitter. On the other hand, Kurihara's career BABIP is .288, which is below the standard, suggesting that he has been somewhat unlucky.

However, despite his strong hitting this season, his BABIP is .283, which is below the benchmark and lower than his career average, a point worth noting. Considering that Home Run runs are not included in the BABIP calculation, it could be argued that Kurihara's success this season is not due to luck, but rather to the growth of his skills.

The performance of two of the league's top hitter could be a key factor in determining the team's success or failure.

The combination of Kondo and Kurihara, who each have the league's top and second-highest OPS, is a major strength for the current Fukuoka Softbank Hawks lineup. The fact that Kondo, who has an exceptional eye for pitches, and Kurihara, who is developing outstanding power, are very different types of hitter is also a significant factor in considering the overall balance of the lineup.

Can Kurihara continue to produce Home Run and RBI at a high pace and win his first career title? Kondo is also within striking distance of major titles, such as his fifth career highest on-base percentage and his second career RBI title. The future performance of these two key hitter, who boast top-class productivity in the league, could be a crucial factor in the success or failure of Fukuoka Softbank Hawks as they aim for their third consecutive league championship.

Written by Ryota Mochizuki