[Full Text Published] A Ring on His Left Ring Finger… Giants Left-Handed Reliever Yuhei Takanashi Caught in “Overnight Affair with Two Beautiful Women”

After waiting six hours following the match,

On a street corner as night fell, the ring on his left ring finger shone with a vivid brilliance—.

It was a weekend in mid-July, just past 9:30 p.m. Stepping out of a shuttle that had pulled up in front of a building in Ginza, Tokyo, was Yūhei Takanashi (34), the left-handed pitcher for the Yomiuri Giants, known for his imposing, stocky build.Although he hadn’t pitched in that day’s game against the Chunichi Dragons at their home stadium, the Tokyo Dome, perhaps buoyed by the team’s victory, he walked with a light step into the shisha bar inside the building.

“Takanashi joined the Rakuten Eagles in 2017 and was traded to the Giants in 2020. Since the trade, he has built a solid track record as a relief pitcher and setup man; this year, his 10th season as a pro, his estimated annual salary is 150 million yen.“Although he started the season with the third-string team due to an injury, once he was registered with the first team on May 1, he showed signs of a comeback—including becoming the winning pitcher for the first time in 608 days during the game against the DeNA BayStars on May 16,” said a sports newspaper reporter.

Around 2:30 a.m., five hours after entering the shisha bar, Takanashi emerged from the building with four men who appeared to be friends. As if seeing them off, he waved goodbye to his friends and returned to the bar alone.Another hour passed, and just after 3:30 a.m., Takanashi reappeared, this time accompanied by a beautiful woman in a long dress.

Was he trying to hold her hand, or offer to carry her bag? Takanashi repeatedly held out and then withdrew his left hand, appearing in high spirits the entire time. The two hailed a taxi on the main street and headed to a hotel in Tokyo. Keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings, they entered the hotel separately and did not emerge until the following morning.

Admits to Affair and “Apologizes”

FRIDAY also spotted Takanashi in June—about a month before he spent the night with this beautiful woman. On that day, after enjoying drinks with a woman in a miniskirt at another bar in Tokyo, the two returned home together.

Takanashi married a younger woman who is not a public figure in 2022. Their first child was born in 2024, and during his contract renewal that same year, he expressed his joy, saying, “I will work even harder for the sake of my family”—but… isn’t he having an affair with these two women?

When a written inquiry was sent to the public relations department of “the Yomiuri Giants Co., Ltd.,” to which Takanashi belongs, the response stated, “The woman he met at the bar in June is a friend of his.” Additionally, regarding the woman he met in Ginza in July, the following response—acknowledging the relationship—was provided as a comment from Takanashi himself:

“I would like to deeply apologize for causing this commotion. I have apologized to my family, and the matter has already been resolved. I also offer my heartfelt apologies to all my fans and everyone involved.”

We hope this reliable left-handed relief pitcher will never again betray the love he swore to with the ring on his ring finger.

From the August 21 & 28, 2026, combined issue of *FRIDAY*