Won the double crown of home runs and RBI stopped at the end of the season due to “physical fatigue”
Seibu midfielder Yamakawa Hodaka, who is expected to acquire domestic FA rights within the next season, faced contract renewal negotiations at the team’s office in Tokorozawa, Saitama on the 2nd, and firmly rejected the four-year contract presented by the team . He signed a one-year contract with an annual salary of 270 million yen (estimated amount), an increase of 140 million yen. How will Japan’s top home run hitters fare next season, which will attract attention in many ways?
Yamakawa won the double crown with 41 homers and 90 RBI this season. In 2018 and 2019, he hit consecutive home run kings with more than 40 hits, but in 2020, his batting average was .205 and 24 home runs. In 2021, he was in a slump for the second year in a row with a .232 batting average and 24 home runs. It can be said that he has made a remarkable recovery.
365 monthly batting average with 8 home runs in March and April, and won the monthly MVP with a .321 batting average and 9 home runs in May, 197 batting average and 4 homers in September and last October.
The team, which had been fighting fiercely for the lead with Orix and Softbank, seemed to be keeping pace with the top guns, and had 8 wins and 13 losses (a .381 win rate) in September and October, and remained in 3rd place in the season. “My results were proportionate to the team. I am number 4, so I think all the responsibility is on me,” he bowed.
The reason for the slowdown at the end of the season is obvious, “Physical fatigue. That’s all.” “When you’re tired, you can’t keep up with the ball (because you can’t keep your foot on the ground), and you can’t keep distance. He revealed, “The theme off this year is to train my body so I can play longer in March, April and May.”
