Tatsu Yanagimachi Reflects on Struggles Behind His MVP Season

Since turning professional, he has faced continuous struggles

“My routine is to always do tee batting practice with this bat before starting regular batting practice. It’s an indispensable item that instantly shows how my current form is.”

Tatsuru Yanagimachi (28) of the SoftBank Hawks, who is gaining attention after hitting a league-leading .397 batting average in this year’s interleague play and winning MVP, uses a flat-faced cricket-style bat. Shohei Ohtani is said to have adopted this bat style last season to correct his batting. Yanagimachi started using it in late April this year.

“I first borrowed it after seeing my senior Ukyo Shuto using it. Practicing with the flat surface lets me check my correct swing path.”

Originally known as the “Keio genius batter,” Yanagimachi racked up hits in the Tokyo Big6 Baseball League.

“I went to Keio High School after junior high but was born and raised in Ibaraki. I was scouted to advance after winning a national Little Senior tournament in middle school. Honestly, I didn’t know much about ‘Keio’ since I was focused on baseball in Ibaraki (laughs).”

Though he didn’t make it to Koshien with Keio High, he became a key player immediately after entering Keio University. He started every league game for four years. His 113 hits rank tied for 13th in the league’s history, a feat last matched by Yoshinobu Takahashi (former Yomiuri Giants). Despite this elite baseball background, Yanagimachi has faced continuous struggles since turning pro.

In his rookie spring in 2020, he received a harsh baptism. In a pre-season practice game against Lotte’s Atsuki Taneichi, he couldn’t get a hit and struck out twice in a row.

“Taneichi is a year younger but had already won eight games the previous year after turning pro straight from high school. While there are university pitchers who throw 150 km/h, the quality in the pros is different.”

To overcome this, Yanagimachi didn’t just swing blindly. He deeply analyzed himself and organized his thoughts before practicing.

“My spirit broke too many times after turning pro. I spent almost two years mostly in the second team. From the third year, I managed to play in the first team but didn’t reach the required number of at-bats. Offseasons brought new reinforcements, and I often started the next year back in the second team. I couldn’t find a rhythm. When I stopped hitting, I thought about it, found points to fix, practiced, and got better. It was a constant cycle.”

Yanagimachi went through ups and downs, finding and overcoming challenges each time, ultimately achieving the top batting average in interleague play.

The August 8-15 issue of FRIDAY and the paid edition FRIDAY GOLD feature Yanagimachi’s honest talk about his slump and struggles after winning the interleague batting title, along with many photos including his handwritten future dreams.

For more details and multiple photos, check here↓

From the August 8-15, 2025, issue of “FRIDAY”