Author: Japan Reacts Editorial

It was reported on October 11 that the Yomiuri Giants are considering entering this winter’s free agency market. The targets are Hiroshima Carp pitchers Nobuhito Morishita and Hiroki Tokoda, and the team is reportedly doing its homework in case either pitcher exercises his domestic free agency rights, while also looking to bolster its batting lineup. This season, the Giants’ rotation was solid — Inoue reached the qualifying number of innings pitched and finished with 10 wins, and Takemaru won 11 games in his rookie year — but their home run leader was first-year import Dalbec with 25, while the top Japanese hitters, Oshiro and Sasaki, managed only 10 each. On the thread, users debated where the two pitchers might land, argued over the Giants’ history of poaching players like Maru and Otake from Hiroshima, and voiced frustration that the team keeps adding pitching without ever fixing its lack of offense.

It emerged on the 11th that the Giants are considering entering the free agency race this offseason. Strengthening both pitching and hitting is essential for a comeback next season. The club is reportedly doing its research in case Hiroshima’s Nobuhito Morishita (29) and Hiroki Tokoda (31) declare free agency, and is expected to keep exploring ways to reinforce its position players as well.

Among the Giants’ starters this season, Inoue was the only one on the team to reach the qualifying number of innings pitched, finishing with 10 wins, while Takemaru won 11 in his rookie year. Despite injury absences for Togo and Yamazaki, the team built a strong rotation that also included midseason addition Ogasawara. The biggest remaining issue is the offense, but the club is carefully watching the situation around Morishita and Tokoda, who look set to be the headline pitchers of this winter’s domestic free agent market.

On the hitting side, first-year import Dalbec hit 25 home runs, but the top Japanese home run hitters, Oshiro and Sasaki, had just 10 apiece. With the lineup in clear need of reinforcement, the team is expected to look into further additions. Last offseason, the Giants struck a surprise agreement in January with Norimoto, who had declared for international free agency from Rakuten. The club is preparing for every possible scenario.

Source: hochi.news / Original article here

*This article is composed from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (Geisoku+) thread “[Baseball] Giants Considering FA Market Entry! Advancing Research on Hiroshima’s Nobuhito Morishita and Hiroki Tokoda.”

In Game 1 of the NL Championship Series, the Dodgers blew a lead on the road in Milwaukee and fell to the Brewers 2-1, snapping a 7-game postseason winning streak that had stood since the 2018 NLCS. Shohei Ohtani, starting and batting cleanup, scored the Dodgers’ first run after reaching on a walk, and also snapped a 12-plate-appearance hitless streak spanning three games with a base hit — but went just 1-for-3 overall and extended his career-worst homerless streak to 106 plate appearances. Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start Game 2. On 5ch, posters traded worries about Ohtani’s slump, voiced hope for Yamamoto, and remarked on the raw energy of the Brewers’ home crowd.

◆MLB — NL Championship Series Game 1: Brewers 2, Dodgers 1 (Oct. 11, American Family Field, Milwaukee, Wisconsin)

The NL West champion Dodgers fell to 0-1 in the series after blowing a lead on the road against the Brewers in Game 1 of the NLCS on Oct. 11 (Oct. 12 Japan time). The Dodgers hadn’t lost to the Brewers in the postseason since dropping Game 7 of the 2018 NLCS, going 7-0 against them across the 2020 Wild Card Series and this year’s NLCS — but that streak ended with this loss.

Shohei Ohtani (32), starting at designated hitter and batting cleanup, drew the walk that set up the Dodgers’ first run and also picked up his first hit in 12 plate appearances across three games, but went 1-for-3 to extend his career-worst homerless streak to 106 plate appearances. Yoshinobu Yamamoto (28) will start Game 2 on the road tomorrow, Oct. 12 (Oct. 13 Japan time). Roki Sasaki (24) did not appear in the game.

Source: hochi.news / Original article here

*This article excerpts and summarizes the 5ch (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “[MLB] Dodgers suffer painful comeback loss, Brewers take Game 1 — Ohtani scores on a walk and gets first hit in 12 at-bats, Yamamoto to start Game 2.”