SoftBank sweeps the Japan Series after four hard-earned wins
A sweep without an easy night: SoftBank rallied past DeNA 4–2 in Game 4 to secure its second straight title and 13th overall.
Source
Baseball · NPB · Catcher
Yudai Yamamoto
2026 Season performance
In 2026 he played 28 games for DeNA and 55 for SoftBank, totaling 83 appearances, seven home runs and 49 RBI. His SoftBank segment produced a .267 average, six homers and 41 RBI, putting his contribution to the new lineup in a broader context than one Japan Series hit.
Updated 2026-11-10Career background
Yamamoto attended Kyoto Shoei High School and gained independent-league experience with Shiga before DeNA selected him in the ninth round in 2017. He played only twice at first-team level in 2018 and spent several seasons working with limited opportunities. By 2023, he appeared in 71 games and hit .277.
His 2024 season expanded to 108 games, 104 hits and a .291 average, adding offensive progress to his catching responsibilities. He played another 104 games in 2025 and moved to SoftBank in 2026. After several seasons of limited opportunities, the late-round catcher from independent baseball had established a role extending across full first-team seasons.
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