As of the end of August, only two players have reached the required number of at-bats and a batting average of .300…

As of the end of August, only two hitter in Pacific League have reached the required number of at-bats and recorded a batting average of .300 or higher: Itsuki Murabayashi (Rakuten) and Ryo Ota (O). On the other hand, there are also quite a few players who have not reached the required number of at-bats but are still achieving high-level results despite the increasing trend of high pitching and low batting.

This time, we will introduce some players who have not yet reached the required number of at-bats as of the end of August, but who have achieved batting results above a certain level. We will look back on the performances each player has shown this season, and hope for further progress in the future. (*Status as of the end of the game on August 31st)

If Taisei Makihara and Ryoma Nishikawa reach the required number of at-bats, they will be within reach of winning the title.fielder from Pacific League team who has not yet reached the required number of at-bats but has achieved good results ©PLMfielder from Pacific League team who has not yet reached the required number of at-bats but has achieved good results ©PLM

　Taisei Makihara (So) has played in 100 games and had 341 at-bats to date, posting impressive results with a batting average of .316 and an OPS of .751. Since June, he has recorded a monthly batting average of .300 or above for three consecutive months, and in August in particular, he had a string of impressive hits, hitting .385 in 24 games. With 25 games remaining and 102 at-bats, he has ample opportunity to reach the required number of at-hitter, and there is every chance he could slip into the leadoff spot.

　Ryoma Nishikawa (O) was in the running for the hitter title when he was forced to withdraw due to injury in July, but returned to the lineup in late August after being out for over a month. He has recorded excellent numbers of batting average .309 and OPS .765 in 346 at-bats so far, and just like Dai Makihara, he is in a position to expect to win the batting hitter if he eventually reaches the required number of at-bats.

Although
　Misho Nishikawa Shisho (Ro) struggled to adapt to professional pitcher in the early stages of the season, he has shown great potential over the past three months, batting .441 in June, .303 in July, and .344 in August. He currently has a batting average of .292 and an OPS of .719, both of which are above average, and depending on his future performance, he could become a leading candidate for Rookie of the Year.

　Isami Nomura (So) has appeared in 101 games and had 328 at-bats, batting .273 Home Run, 16 stolen base, and an OPS of .758, demonstrating his natural power and speed. With 115 at-bats remaining in 25 games, he still has a chance of reaching the required number of at-bats for the first time, so he will be hoping to continue getting more playing time as a super sub.

Last season’s Pacific League MVP, Kensuke Kondo has been showing outstanding batting performance this season as well.

　Kenya Wakatsuki (O) continued to play as the team’s starting catcher due to an injury to Tomoya Mori (O), and made a strong showing in terms of offense with a batting average of .284, Home Run, and an OPS of .721 in 100 games. With 27 games remaining until the required number of at-bats, he has 118 at-bats, and it seems likely that he will reach the required number of at-bats for the first time in his 12th year as a professional.

　Yuya Gunji (Japan) plays four positions: catcher, first baseman, third baseman, and outfielder and has recorded excellent numbers with a batting average of .294, Home Run, and an OPS of .784 in 87 games. As a valuable player who can play a wide range of roles on both offense and defense, he is greatly supporting the team as they compete fiercely for the championship.

　Shun Mizutani (Japan) struggled in the early games and had to adjust in the minor leagues, but he has recovered since rejoining the major league team during the interleague games this season. He has hit 11 Home Run and an OPS of .793 in 64 games so far, demonstrating high productivity and becoming a valuable piece for the team as it continues to grow.

　Yuki Nomura (Japan) was also forced to leave the game due to injury, but he made his presence felt as a good hitter with a batting average of .271, Home Run, and an OPS of .748 in 84 games. Yua Tamiya (Japan) also played in 60 games as one of the starting catcher, batting average of .273, Home Run, and an OPS of .700, and both contributed to Hokkaido Nippon-Ham’ success.

　Fumiya Kurokawa (Rakuten) has shown a certain level of productivity with a batting average of .305, an on-base percentage of .374, and an OPS of .769 despite only playing in 57 games. He has also established himself as the fourth second baseman.

　Kensuke Kondo (So) was limited to playing in 62 games due to injury, but he recorded impressive results with 8 Home Run and 35 RBI in just 255 at-bats, a batting average of .301, and an OPS of .903. Considering that Reyes (Japan), who leads the league in both Home Run and RBI, has an OPS of .878, Kondo’s outstanding batting power is once again evident.

Although they have fewer at-bats, there are also players who hit a lot Home Run at a high pace.

There are also players who have shown outstanding batting performances even among players with few at-Rakuten. Voight Raku recorded 8 Home Run and 25 RBI in just 41 games and 167 at-bats. He showed his high ability as hitter with a batting average of .265, an on-base percentage of .353, and an OPS of .823, and is demonstrating his powerful batting on the NPB stage, worthy of his achievement of winning Home Run title in the MLB.

　Koki Yamaguchi The player (R) also recorded high-level results with 7 Home Run and 22 RBI in 21 games, a slugging percentage of .588, and an OPS of .880. He is hitting home runs at an astonishing rate of one Home Run every 9.71 at-bats. Kenta Tanigawara The player (So) hit two Home Run in just 42 at-bats and recorded an OPS of .909. It is noteworthy that despite his limited playing time, he has shown productivity comparable to that of his teammate Kondo.

Can they overcome the headwinds facing hitter and maintain their good form for the rest of the season?

While the influence of strong pitching and weak batting is strong across the baseball world, it is interesting to note that there are many players who have achieved high-level results despite not reaching the required number of at-bats. Furthermore, the existence of players like Makihara Dai and Nishikawa who still have the potential to eventually reach the required number of at-bats and win the title could make the title race for the remaining seasons more interesting.

Will the players featured in this article be able to continue making an impact and finish the season on a high note? Why not pay even more attention to the outstanding batting of these players, who are showing outstanding batting in an environment where the wind is blowing against hitter?

Sentence. Ryota Mochizuki