On September 10, 2026, 5ch’s “Hello! Project” board lit up over live commentary on the Giants-Dragons game at Tokyo Dome. While fans grumbled about Dragons pitcher Kanamaru giving up a hit off his curveball for the second straight game, the real focus of the thread was Yomiuri Giants star Hayato Sakamoto’s doubles total. He’s managed just 4 so far this season, a steep drop from his 29 in 2023, but posters reacted to the note that he’s now just “14 doubles away” from Kazuyoshi Tatsunami’s all-time NPB doubles record. Skepticism about whether he’ll actually get there mixed with jokes like “he just hit one!” and “he’ll get there next year as a DH.”
Because the acting manager already said something like "we've got lefties covered"
40AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:58
He's good at sitting on the low forkball/changeup and still connecting on the breaking ball once he's down in the count
44AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:59
Miso's useless
55AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:01
Re: #44
The problem is they can't beat anyone except us
45AnonymousSep 10, 2026 18:59
No way he gets those 14 doubles off pinch-hit at-bats alone
49AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:00
Re: #45
He's in the starting lineup today though
54AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:00
Classic Inoue, letting them tie it right back up
132AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:09
Re: #54
It always comes down to this, huh
63AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:02
No outs already? Don't let them come back and take the lead
65AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:02
Re: #63
It's fine
It's Rokuryu
75AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:03
imgur.com/a/WM7FsTs
97AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:05
Let's make this happen
129AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:09
Guess I'll mute it…
137AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:09
Re: #129
Good luck multitasking! (i.e., not really watching the game)
146AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:11
Turns out there was no Harry Boost after all!
151AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:11
Re: #146
Typical, our team never wins games like this
148AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:11
If Izumiguchi had just gotten one out, they could've held on
162AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:14
Re: #148
Kadowaki would've turned that into two outs
156AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:13
Guess an intentional walk for Ishii was also on the table
159AnonymousSep 10, 2026 19:13
Re: #156
Sure, if the bases weren't loaded
Background and Talking Points
Kazuyoshi Tatsunami finished his playing career with 487 doubles, the most in NPB history, so even by simple arithmetic Sakamoto still needs a substantial number more to match him. Looking at the year-by-year doubles totals posters cited (29 in 2023 → 14 in 2024 → 10 in 2025 → 4 in 2026), the clear downward trend explains why many in the thread were skeptical he’d ever catch up. The “he’ll get there next year as a DH” joke, meanwhile, plays off the fact that Sakamoto has kept playing the field despite the physical toll, implying a DH role would free up more playing time and spare his body. How close Sakamoto actually gets to Tatsunami’s record will depend on his games played and hitting output going forward — nothing in this thread amounts to a definitive prediction.
※This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project board) thread “Giants Acting Manager 131.”
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