It was learned on the 26th that Orix Buffaloes catcher Tomoya Mori (31) underwent surgery on his left wrist. Although he had continued to play while dealing with chronic discomfort, he was removed from the active roster on the 15th. After discussions with the team, he had been seeking the best course of action for his return.

This was a decision made by Moritomo, who has no history of major surgery and is known for being resistant to injury. Although he will be absent this season, he decided to undergo surgery with great resolve. His trademark full swing is expected to be cleared by next February's training camp. This will also lead to his rebirth as a catcher, the position he is most passionate about.

Last year, when he suffered injuries to his right side and the back of his right thigh, he batted .205 in 50 games. He was limited to just 1 Home Run and 14 RBI, both of which were career lows. This season is his 13th overall and his 4th since joining from the Seibu Lions via free agency. He has been showing his determination, saying, "I need to take the lead and do more to pull the team forward."

He earned a spot in the opening starting line-up, but developed pain in his left wrist in late May. He was removed from the roster on June 2nd. He was promoted back on the 27th of that month and expressed a desire to "heal while playing in games." However, his usage was limited to pinch hitter or DH. It was a fact that his catch was also being affected, and the last time he played as a catcher was the Chunichi game on May 29th (Kyocera Dome).

Standing on the ground with the responsibility of a core player, he has a .243 batting average, 7 Home Runs, and 24 RBI in 66 games so far. While Manager Kishida trusts him, saying, "Just having him there is huge and reassuring," he was also concerned about his lack of improvement, noting, "I think a full swing is the symbol of Tomoya Mori, but he's becoming unable to do that easily." For the team aiming for a comeback to reach the Climax Series, this is a long-term absence of a star player, following aces like Miyagi and Yamashita. The reality is harsh, but there is no choice but to wait for him to return in perfect condition.

Tomoya Mori. Born August 8, 1995, in Sakai City, Osaka. 31 years old. He started playing baseball in the first grade of elementary school and played for the Sakai Big Boys during his time at Higashimozu Junior High School. At Osaka Toin High School, he served as the regular catcher starting from the fall of his first year, and in 2012, during his second year, he won consecutive spring and summer championships at Koshien. He joined the Seibu Lions as the first-round draft pick in 2013. In 2019, he won the MVP and the leading hitter title, contributing to the league championship. He is a four-time Best Nine award winner. In the 2022 off-season, he exercised his domestic free agent rights and moved to the Orix Buffaloes. 170 cm, 85 kg. Throws right, bats left. Annual salary of 400 million yen.

◆ Tomoya Mori's injury progress

▼On May 8th, in a game against Nippon-Ham (at Kyocera Dome), he hit two Home Run a single game for the first time in three years, since June 10th, 2023, in a game against DeNA (at the same venue).

On the 29th of the same month, he was in the starting line-up as the number 3 hitter and catcher for the Chunichi game, but this was his last time behind the plate.

June 2nd: Removed from the active roster due to a left wrist injury.

On the 21st of the same month, he returned to game action in a Farm League game against the Hanshin Tigers (Toyonaka Rose), recording 1 hit in 3 At Bats.

On the 24th of the same month, recorded 3 hits in 3 At Bats in a Farm League game against the Seibu Lions (Carminique).

Promoted back to the first team starting from the game against the Rakuten Eagles (Hotto Motto Field Kobe) on the 27th of the same month.

On July 3, in the second inning of the game against the Seibu Lions (Hotto Motto Field Kobe), he hit his sixth solo home run of the season off Takahashi near the right-field pole, his first home run since returning, while batting cleanup for the first time this season.

August 15: Removed from the active roster for the second time this season due to the poor condition of his left wrist.