Yuito Mori joined Softbank as the 2nd pick in the 2013 draft → pitched in 50 or more games for 7 consecutive years
Pitcher Yuito Mori, who played for Softbank and DeNA, ended his 12-year career as a pitcher this season. Since his rookie year, he has pitched in over 50 games for seven years in a row, and reigns as the guardian angel of a winning team. However, his career as a professional baseball player started when he was about to give up, thinking, “Maybe I should go back to my hometown and become a fisherman.” In an interview with Full-Count, he looked back on the 10 years he spent at Softbank.
“I was number one in Japan, won the league championship, and was a great pitcher, and I can only be grateful because I was able to pitch from my first year.I think it was a good 10 years, but I couldn’t do anything the last two or three years, so I felt frustrated about that.”
From Kaifu High School, he went to Mitsubishi Motors Kurashiki Oceans and joined Softbank in 2nd place in the 2013 draft. Although he was not nominated in his third year as a working adult, he changed his mind and said, “Honestly, I didn’t think I would be able to go this year.” In his fourth year, he participated in an intercity baseball game as a reinforcement player for the Hakuwa Victories and pitched at Tokyo Dome, and his attention quickly rose.
“However, if I didn’t make it to the professional ranks that year, I would return to my hometown and consider becoming a fisherman myself since my father is a fisherman. To be honest, I wasn’t a pitcher who could throw a fast ball…I was thinking of quitting as a working professional when I became a professional player. So I had nothing to fear. I played with the mentality that I had nothing to lose.” It was because he was a pro that he grabbed at his “last chance” that he was able to break out in his rookie year.
Farewell to his 12 years as an active player: “My baseball career has been the best, hasn’t it?”
In his first year as a pro, he accompanied the first team from the open tournament and achieved good results, but he injured his left knee before the start of the season. However, in May, after recovering from his injury, he was immediately promoted to the first team, and from there he pitched in 58 games. “I’m grateful to Coach Akiyama (Koji) for using me as soon as I recovered even though I had no track record.I wonder what would have happened if he hadn’t used me at that time.It was a turning point for me.” From there, he began his “steelman’s path” of pitching in more than 50 games for seven consecutive years.
In 2018, he became a defender after Denis Safate left due to an injury, and won the title with 37 saves. He became a top pitcher in the Japan Series and won the Outstanding Player Award. Even though he has been through many rough patches, he says, “On this day, I felt really fluffy.Even before I pitched, I noticed that the way I put in the power was completely different.Even when I went to the mound, my legs were shaking.” It was a glory that he achieved by overcoming tremendous pressure.
In the early spring of 2021, when he was in great shape from the start and felt that he was going to get great results, he woke up in the morning and suddenly noticed that his left elbow was swollen. It was an infection. He was hospitalized and underwent surgery, but even after returning, his form was still unbalanced. “I was stuck in a vicious cycle and couldn’t get back into it, and I was always struggling with what to do.” This year, he failed to reach 50 games for the first time since turning professional (30 pitches), and ended up playing 29 games in 2022 and 6 games in 2023, and was notified that he was out of action.
Total of 127 saves. The final inning on the mound that led the team to victory was special. “It feels really good. It’s different after all. I think that’s why I’ve been able to do it for so long,” he says of his pride as a closer. And he smiled proudly. “I’m one of the few pitchers with a high pitched body, and I was able to win four championships with the Hawks and become number one in Japan.I don’t think there are many people like that.My baseball career has been the best.” It was a life of professional baseball that was full of life just like Yuito Mori.
(Rie Machida)
