On Thursday, the Yokohama DeNA BayStars and Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks announced a blockbuster 1-for-2 trade, sending catcher Yamamoto Yuuta (27) to the Hawks in exchange for right-handed pitcher Ogata Takato (26) and infielder Inoue Tomoya (23).
The BayStars have struggled with injuries, as pitcher Cox is out for the season after left elbow surgery and Duplantier is sidelined due to conditioning issues. With the bullpen thin and the team hovering at .500 in fourth place through Wednesday, strengthening the pitching staff became an urgent priority.
Yamamoto, a 2017 ninth-round draft pick from Kyoto Shoei High School and BC League’s Shiga team, developed into a starting catcher over recent seasons. He played 71 games in 2023, 104 in 2024, and 108 last year. This season, he appeared in 28 games, batting .227 with one home run and eight RBIs. He also started at catcher in two of three games against the Hanshin Tigers in the previous series.
Ogata, a right-hander, was selected by SoftBank as a first-round developmental draft pick in 2017 from Gakuen Ishikawa High School. He made his first-team debut in 2020 and posted a career-high 38 appearances last season, finishing with a 1-1 record, five holds, and a 4.67 ERA. This season, he has appeared in 10 games with a 0-2 record and a 3.00 ERA.
Inoue, an infielder, was the Hawks’ first-round draft pick in 2020 from Hanasaki Tokuharu High School. His most productive season came in 2023 with 15 games, and he appeared in eight games last year. Over his professional career, he has played 28 games, batting .181 with one home run and four RBIs.