From our other sites
The story
On September 15, 2026, the final game of the three-game Giants–DeNA series at Yokohama Stadium ended in a lopsided 2-13 loss, completing a three-game sweep by DeNA and dropping the Giants’ cushion above .500 to 11 wins. Starter Shosei Togo was knocked out before completing two innings, allowing 9 runs (5 earned), and reports say the coaching staff and players held an emergency team meeting after the game. On 5ch, fans expressed dismay at how a promising start — sparked by Hirayama’s leadoff home run — completely fell apart, debated the view that the pennant race has now narrowed to a two-team fight between the Hanshin Tigers and DeNA, and speculated over which team the Climax Series special rule would end up applying to.
What people said
Giants Acting Manager Thread 138
Probably only Abe would take it
Worst possible timing to run into DeNA
Giants 2-13 DeNA
Game over
Win: Azuma
Loss: Togo
Togo: 2 IP, 9 R, 5 ER
Akahoshi: 2 IP, 1 R
Hirauchi: 3 IP, 1 R, 0 ER
Funasako: 1 IP, 2 R
Hirayama: leadoff home run, 2 hits
Suzuki Dai: RBI double
Matsumoto: 2 hits
Izumiguchi, Oshiro, Dalbec: 1 hit each
Giants swept 3 straight, cushion above .500 down to 11
Yokohama wins it all (Japan Series)
This Yokohama series decided everything
The Giants' players clearly have zero motivation to begin with anyway
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/db27fff52fd8a8735561127207d9a0524006bd64
[Giants] Season-Worst 13-Run Blowout Loss Means First Place Slips Away Again… 3rd Straight Loss, Togo Suffers Career-Worst 4 Homers Allowed in 2-Inning, 9-Run KO, Hirayama's Leadoff No. 3 Home Run Wasted
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/90087fc9dde95bbd93be6b690b0256ac31ff297a
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/03d3320f5fa945863ce3c59a4dbdb06891ca6c80
The pennant's going to either Hanshin or Yokohama
I don't care about the Climax Series at this point, might as well switch to development mode starting next game
They're batting Ishizuka 5th, so clearly they'd rather play at developing prospects than actually fight for the pennant anyway
Our team's lost too many games at this point, nothing to be done
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/c57087903b4ef66148bef808f1b1e5993d31b781
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/47a3579a97ac7d57225494e1cc536a4cf8e2f232
Yamaguchi: No. 29 (top 6th, 2-run)
Yamaguchi: No. 30 (top 9th, solo)
Nippon-Ham
Mannami: No. 21 (bottom 8th, solo)
Even if the Tigers (“chin”) and our team both lose out the rest of the way, the Tigers still take the pennant lol
And that's when the BayStars pull off the massive comeback title
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/cb0cdf06f5cffa3e92101acf9d06cc04279fa826
Figures it's been since Ochiai — this is a team whose whole lineup gets outdone by a single player nicknamed “Okawari” on some other team
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/4da9b32fa9f50d45641d064697b89d269872194c
The Giants held an emergency team meeting after the game. With this marking their last game of the season at Yokohama Stadium (Hamasta), the coaching staff and players greeted the Giants fans gathered in the left-field stands. They then headed back to the dugout, where an emergency meeting was held behind the bench.
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/0fb8000df8e4a6b35bcff8b85c9292f79ab37084
Funasako pitched in all three games of this series. On the 13th he threw 1 scoreless inning allowing 2 hits, and on the 14th, 1 scoreless inning allowing 1 hit.
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/faa47bb75f5e69b618d8416a29d0f3cb65fe9bb7
In the 2nd inning, Izumiguchi made an error and Togo gave up three home runs. Izumiguchi, the team's No. 3 hitter and shortstop, is a player who should be a pillar on both offense and defense. Togo has had his rough patches too, but he's a pitcher once called the team's ace.
Since this is a competitive sport, things won't always go well. Even so, you shouldn't let the team's atmosphere sour — and when there already is a bad atmosphere, you should be the one to cut it off. Think about the worst-case scenario and make it a habit to play in a way that avoids it at all costs. Don't keep repeating plays you know you shouldn't make. It's not easy. But a player who's supposed to be a pillar of the team needs to carry that awareness and play in a way that lifts the team's momentum. That goes doubly for a core player on a team fighting for the pennant — and it's exactly that kind of play that leads a team to a championship. I know this comes across harsh, but I hope it can serve as a spark for them to turn things around. (Nikkan Sports columnist)
That's because Sakamoto and Maru aren't the ones leading by example
They're just getting cozy with the young guys, everything's slack
Right off the bat, Hirayama's leadoff home run off DeNA's Azuma put the Giants ahead. After the bad run the day before, the mood must have shifted to 'today we can do this.' Matsumoto followed with a double, and they had the momentum building.
What killed it right there was the No. 3 hitter, Izumiguchi. On a 3-ball count he swung at a fastball just off the middle of the plate and flied out to third. Personally, I think it's fine for a cleanup-caliber hitter to swing on a 3-ball count — especially with a runner in scoring position.
Hashigami, using “we're focused on development” as an excuse
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/a334206fdcb7c6f473d73fb05d37dd6c1639f1f9
After being hit in the head by the pitch, he was examined at a hospital in Tokyo and diagnosed with a bruise to the right side of his head. He reportedly walked off the field under his own power after being hit, and the team says it will decide on his status going forward based on how he progresses.
Background and Key Points of Discussion
The Giants had maintained a healthy cushion above .500 for most of the season, but a three-game sweep at the hands of DeNA has pulled that margin down to 11, narrowing the gap with second-place DeNA to just 5 games. Starter Shosei Togo was tagged for a career-worst 9 runs in just 2 innings, and with Taiga Funasako pitching in three straight games, fatigue in the bullpen is starting to show. The emergency team meeting held after the game is believed to be an effort by the coaching staff to convey a sense of urgency, though its contents haven’t been disclosed. On the thread, users cited a column by Nikkan Sports commentator Shinya Miyamoto, who argued that the momentum built by Hirayama’s leadoff home run was killed off by a weak at-bat from No. 3 hitter Izumiguchi, sparking criticism of the attitude of the team’s core hitters. Opinions were split between those who believe the pennant race has already become a two-way fight between Hanshin and Yokohama, and those still holding out hope for a Climax Series berth or a come-from-behind title.
※This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Harupuro board) thread “Giants Acting Manager Thread 139.”

Leave a Reply