Yoshi Tsutsugo

Yoshitomo "Yoshi" Tsutsugo (筒香 嘉智, Tsutsugō Yoshitomo, Japanese pronunciation: [tsɯ̥tsɯgoꜜː joɕi̥tomo], born November 26, 1991) is a Japanese professional baseball left fielder for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Yokohama BayStars/Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), where he was the youngest player in BayStars franchise history to reach 100, 150, and 200 home runs.[1][2][3][4] On July 22, 2016 Tsutsugo became the first player in Nippon Professional Baseball history to have three straight multiple home run games,[5] and in the same month he also became the first to have six multiple home run games in a month.[6]

Yoshitomo Tsutsugo
Tsutsugo with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars
Tampa Bay Rays – No. 25
Left fielder
Born: (1991-11-26) November 26, 1991
Hashimoto, Wakayama, Japan
Bats: Left Throws: Right
Professional debut
NPB: October 5, 2010, for the Yokohama BayStars
MLB: July 24, 2020, for the Tampa Bay Rays
NPB statistics
Batting average.285
Home runs205
Runs batted in613
MLB statistics
(through 2020 season)
Batting average.197
Home runs8
Runs batted in24
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Professional career

Yokohama BayStars/ Yokohama DeNA BayStars (2010–2019)
Tsutsugo batting for the Baystars in 2014

Tsutsugo made his rookie debut at age 18 for the Yokohama BayStars and played 3 games in 2010. He played 40 games in 2011, 108 games in 2012 and 23 games in 2013. His low start were due to his injuries and lack of experience adjusting to using wooden bats in professional baseball. He became a regular on the team in the 2014 season and played in 114 games. He hit 22 home runs, drove in 77 RBI, and hit .300 with an OBP of .373. In 2015, he was selected to his first NPB All-Star Game. He hit 24 home runs, drove in 95 runs, and hit .309 with an OBP of .395.

In 2016, he was selected to his second consecutive NPB All-Star Game and was the All-Star Game MVP. He led with Central League in home runs (44) and RBI (110). He also had career highs in batting average (.322) and OBP (.430).[7] Tsutsugo was selected to the next three NPB All-Star Games, winning the Kantosho (敢闘選手賞) or "Fighting Spirit Award" in all three appearances.[8][9][10] In total, Tsutsugo appeared in five NPB All-Star Games from 2015 to 2019.

In January 2019, Tsutsugo gave a speech at the Foreign correspondents club of Japan where he criticized the harsh regimentation and focus on tournaments in youth baseball in Japan. In addition he stated that he would like to play in Major League Baseball in the future. After the 2019 season, on November 15, 2019, BayStars announced it was allowing Tsutsugo to enter the posting system to play in Major League Baseball (MLB).[11]

Tampa Bay Rays

On December 16, 2019, Tsutsugo signed a two-year, $12 million contract with the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball.[12] On March 25, 2020, he returned to Japan due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[13]

On July 24, 2020, Tsutsugo was the starting third baseman, making his MLB debut on Opening Day against the Toronto Blue Jays. That day, he recorded his first MLB hit, a home run off of Hyun-jin Ryu.[14] He finished the season hitting .197/.314/.395 with 8 home runs and 24 RBIs in 51 games.

International career

Tsutsugo played for Japan national baseball team in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Tsutsugo was named the Pool B Most Valuable Player after batting .364.[15]

On August 20, 2018, he was selected for the 2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series,[16] but on October 26, 2018, he canceled his participation for Samurai Japan.[17]

Playing style

Tsutsugo was a switch hitter throughout his amateur school career until Yokohama High School, where he became a left-handed hitter due to a discovery of a herniated disc during medical examination.

References
  1. "ＤｅＮＡ筒香が通算150号　球団史上最年少". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports Shimbun. 2018-05-24. Retrieved 2019-01-21.
  2. "ＤｅＮＡ筒香100号も空砲「負けたら意味ない」". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports Shimbun. 2016-08-06. Retrieved 2019-01-21.
  3. Satō, Haruka (2017-04-28). "驚異のハマモン！ＤｅＮＡ・筒香、球団史上最年少で通算１００号". Sankei Sports (in Japanese). Sankei Shimbun. Retrieved 2019-01-21.
  4. Satō, Haruka (2019-08-18). "ＤｅＮＡ・筒香、通算２００＋１号！球団史上最年少２７歳で到達". Sankei Sports (in Japanese). Sankei Shimbun. Retrieved 2019-01-21.
  5. Tameda, Satoshi (2016-07-23). "筒香バケモン３戦連続マルチ弾ポケモンは全クリなし". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports Shimbun. Retrieved 2019-01-21.
  6. Nakamura, Fumika (2016-07-30). "筒香、世界新だ！月間６度目１試合２発　１０本差から山田抜いた". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). Sports Nippon Newspaper. Retrieved 2019-01-21.
  7. "2016年のオールスターゲーム (日本プロ野球)", Wikipedia (in Japanese), 2019-06-19, retrieved 2019-12-15
  8. "2017年のオールスターゲーム (日本プロ野球)", Wikipedia (in Japanese), 2019-06-24, retrieved 2019-12-15
  9. "2018年のオールスターゲーム (日本プロ野球)", Wikipedia (in Japanese), 2019-07-17, retrieved 2019-12-15
  10. "2019年のオールスターゲーム (日本プロ野球)", Wikipedia (in Japanese), 2019-11-26, retrieved 2019-12-15
  11. "筒香嘉智選手に関するポスティングシステム申請について". 横浜DeNAベイスターズ 公式サイト (in Japanese). November 15, 2019. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
  12. "Rays finalize 2-year deal with Tsutsugo". December 16, 2019. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  13. "「新しいものは作りにいってない」　筒香嘉智、同級生パートナーと日本で仕切り直し". Full-Count (in Japanese). March 26, 2020. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  14. Juan Toribio (July 25, 2020). "Yoshi notches 1st hit, 1st HR on same pitch". MLB.com. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  15. Yoshitomo Tsutsugoh is MVP of WBC '17 Pool B | MLB.com
  16. "「2018日米野球」出場選手6名、コーチングスタッフが決定". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). August 20, 2018. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  17. "「ENEOS侍ジャパンシリーズ2018」ならびに「2018日米野球」に出場するトップチームの出場選手の変更について". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). October 26, 2018. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
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