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From left: Takato Ogata and Tomoya Inoue
The SoftBank Hawks announced on December 12 that a two-for-one trade has been finalized, sending pitcher Takato Ogata (26) and infielder Tomoya Inoue (23) to the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in exchange for catcher Yudai Yamamoto (27).
Ogata, who transitioned to a starting role during spring training this season, had been utilized as a long reliever and was still in the bullpen as recently as December 10. Although he often pitched in losing situations, the right-hander boasts the fastest fastball on the team at 159 km/h and appeared in 10 games this season, posting a 3.00 ERA with a 0-2 record while striking out 19 batters over 12 innings. The Hawks parted ways with Inoue, their first-round pick in the 2020 draft, to acquire Yamamoto, who has established himself as DeNA’s primary catcher.
The move comes after longtime catcher Takuya Kai departed for the Yomiuri Giants. Last season, starter Takashi Umino (28) took over behind the plate. Currently, the catching corps includes Kenta Tanigawara (29) and Riku Watanabe (25), with infielder Ryoya Kurihara (29) also practicing at catcher in case of emergency. Veteran catcher Hiroki Minei (34) remains in the minors.
Adding the experienced and offensively capable Yamamoto, who is only 27, could immediately challenge Umino for the starting role. The competition between these two young backstops is expected to create a positive synergy for the team.
Below are comments from the two players involved in the trade:
Ogata: “I spent nine years with the Hawks, so there is a bit of sadness, but wherever I play baseball, my goals remain the same. I will continue to polish myself and pursue my dreams. I get the impression that DeNA is also advancing their technology, similar to the Hawks. I enjoy using such tools, so I’m grateful. I truly appreciate the warm support from the fans all these years.”
Inoue: “The Hawks helped me grow both mentally and physically. Although I was drafted in the first round, I couldn’t perform as well as I hoped and experienced a lot of frustration. Now, I have this opportunity with Yokohama DeNA, and the team atmosphere seems great. I’ll approach it with a fresh mindset. To the Hawks fans, thank you for all the cheers at the Dome and in Chikugo.”
