Orix Buffaloes outfielder Ryoto Kita has been racking up hit while singing the cheering song of his idol, Yoshio Itoi.
　
"I noticed it from my very first at-bat. I've been a fan since I was a kid. I was so happy, and I knew all the lyrics, so I was singing along in my head with great enthusiasm as I stepped up to the plate." After the game against Rakuten Eagles on August 5th (Kyocera Dome), when the song first echoed through the home stadium, Kita said excitedly in the underground parking lot.
　
"Ryoto! Burn! Burn! Ryoto!" Carrying the wishes entrusted to him, with that arm raised in position, create a bridge that leads to the top. "Ryoto, Ryoto, hit it hard, Ryoto!" Send a powerful, fast hit, slam it in with all your strength. "Ryoto! Burn! Burn! Ryoto!"

He flied out to right field in his first at-bat, but in the fourth inning with one out and a runner on second, he hit a single to left field to tie the game, and in the seventh inning, as the leadoff hitter, he hit a single to right field to start the go-ahead run. His hitting has remained strong since then, including hitting two Home Run in a single game for the third time this season in the game against Nippon-Ham on August 16th.

For Kida, who played for Orix Buffaloes Juniors, Itoi was an idol. In addition to winning the batting hitter in 2014, he has also won titles such as the highest on-base percentage three times (2011, 2012, 2014) and the most stolen base (2016). He is a legend who was called a "superhuman" because of his high level of athleticism. "I like everything about him. Everything about him was cool. I've had the chance to talk to him, and he's funny and a really nice guy. My body can't keep up with him, it's impossible. I want to catch up to him at least a little bit (in terms of performance)," said Kida. The next day, Itoi also wrote "I'm happy" on his X account, expressing his joy at the birth of his "successor." Kida said that when he contacted him directly, "He was really happy."

Kida joined Orix Buffaloes in 2020 as the third overall pick in the draft, coming from Akashi Commercial High School (Hyogo). In the quarterfinals of the Spring Koshien tournament during his second year of high school, he became the first hitter in history to hit both a leadoff Home Run and a hit Home Run walk-off home run. In his first year as a professional, he achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the first high school graduate rookie to hit a home run on his first pitch in his first professional at-bat. However, he struggled to maintain consistent outfield and had defense issues, which prevented him from making it into the top 50 games in the first team until his fourth year, in 2024. This season, he has repeatedly shown spectacular defense plays, and his hitting has also improved. He has corrected his tendency to run and swing when he was not in good form, and is now able to swing properly. "The only thing I changed was that I stopped running and swinging. I think the biggest change is that I'm now able to swing from where I am."

His consistent hitting has led to good hits. "I think being able to step up to the plate calmly is a sign of my growth," he says, and regarding his two Home Run in one game, he explains the synergistic effect, saying, "Once I hit one, I naturally feel more relaxed."

struck out have also decreased significantly. struck out rate has improved dramatically from .281 last season (135 plate appearances, 38 struck out) to .164 as of August 18th (219 plate appearances, 36 struck out). "I'm able to attack from the first pitch. I'm able to gain the upper hand before I get behind in the count," he says proudly. "I'm not worried about my batting average (276 as of August 18th). I'm just going to keep building on it. I hope that (double-digit Home Run) will come naturally, one by one." He is building career highs in a relaxed manner.

Interview and text by Masaki Kitano