Kazuma Sayama took the mound for his first career professional start on October 1 at Koshien Stadium, stepping into the starting rotation for the Osaka Orcas in their regular-season finale against the Tokyo Yumils, kakuyomu.jp reported.
First Career Start Begins With a 170 km/h Fastball
The Orcas assigned their closer to the starting role for the final game of the year, a decision driven by the fact that the team’s standings position had already been locked in. Facing the Yumils’ leadoff hitter under home plate umpire Nijii, Sayama opened the game by delivering a fastball clocked at 170 km/h on the stadium radar board, according to kakuyomu.jp.
KAKUYOMU.JP REPORTED THAT the right-hander relied on a pre-selected ‘Start Up’ skill to boost his early performance, though he noted that his signature gyroball pitch remained difficult to control consistently using Nippon Professional Baseball balls compared to Major League Baseball specifications. Despite the velocity, the opening frame brought immediate tactical adjustments as his power curveball broke sharper than anticipated.
Tackling the Yumils Powered Lineup
After pitching to the first two hitters with high-velocity fastballs and a carefully mixed selection of breaking pitches, Sayama faced the heart of the Tokyo order, highlighted by Bryce in the three-hole, kakuyomu.jp reported. The Yumils lineup, featuring heavy hitters and strong depth down through the order, required the pitcher to lean on his catcher, Bessho, for sequenced sign-calling and defensive adjustments on the mound.
KAKUYOMU.JP NOTED THAT the final matchup of the season offered the Orcas a low-pressure environment to test roster depth and pitching strategies. While the game carried no postseason implications regarding the league standings, the Tokyo batting order provided a severe test for a pitcher transitioning from a shutdown relief role into a starter’s workload.
Orcas and Yumils Turn to off-Season Evaluations
The regular-season finale concluded the campaign for both the Osaka Orcas and the Tokyo Yumils, with clubs turning their attention toward off-season roster evaluations and upcoming training schedules.
