Tetsuto Yamada Can’t Wait to Rejoin Yakult’s Top Squad—And the Reason May Surprise You

It’s too hot

Yakult Swallows infielder Tetsuto Yamada (33), who has been sidelined with a strained left internal oblique muscle, is working hard toward a return to the first team. However, he is reportedly being troubled by an unexpected formidable opponent. Prioritizing his recovery, Yamada finally returned to game action on May 31 in a farm game against Hayate.

“Yamada made his return on May 31 against Hayate and recorded his first hit in his third game back. In his seventh rehab game, against Oisix Niigata in Kashiwazaki on June 13, he finally hit his first home run of the season, showing that his recovery is progressing smoothly. Even so, farm manager Noriyuki Shiroishi (53) has remained cautious about promoting him, saying, ‘First, we want to see him play a full game and then evaluate how his body responds.’” (Former team official)

Although Yamada has struggled in recent years, the departure of cleanup hitter Munetaka Murakami (26) to Major League Baseball left a major hole in the lineup this season, and manager Takahiro Ikeyama (60) had high hopes for Yamada as a key middle-of-the-order bat.

“He injured his left side during spring training in February, and at first the coaching staff expected him to return to the first team within about two weeks. However, he later suffered another injury, making it impossible to set a timetable for his return. The media covering the team is aware of this, but out of respect for Yamada’s wishes, they haven’t reported it. What is certain is that his physical condition was worse than the club initially believed. That said, Yamada is now eager to return to the first team for a rather unexpected reason.” (Sports newspaper reporter)

So what is this unexpected reason? A team staff member explains:

“In public, he says, ‘I definitely want to play for the first team,’ but in reality, he seems fed up with the environment at Toda Stadium, the Swallows’ farm home. The entire field is artificial turf, and once summer approaches, the heat reflecting off the surface becomes intense. Apparently, Tetsuto has been telling the coaching staff, ‘It’s so hot I can’t concentrate on practice or games—please let me go up to the first team already!’ (laughs). Half of it is a dark joke about the aging facilities, but the other half seems to be genuine.

Some people around the team laugh it off, saying, ‘That’s so like Tetsuto,’ while others feel, ‘No matter how much he’s contributed to the club, isn’t that being a bit selfish?’ The reality is that the team has been playing well even without him and is firmly in the pennant race. We’d like to see him regain his form and earn his return to the first team through his performance.” (Same source)

For the Swallows, who have gone several years without winning a championship, Yamada—a player who has experienced winning the Japan Series—remains an indispensable presence. The question now is whether his trademark bat can help carry the team back to the top.