According to Kyodo News on Wednesday, Hayato Sakamoto and Takumi Oshiro of the Yomiuri Giants have each tested positive for coronavirus. Sakamoto, a 31-year-old shortstop, is so popular in Japan, the native of Itami was the most valuable player in the Central League during the 2019 Nippon Professional Baseball. Oshiro is a 27-year-old catcher, who has played with Yomiuri over the last two seasons.
Sakamoto and Oshiro have the opportunity of playing for the most high profile baseball team in Japan. Even though the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks have dominated in recent times (five titles in the last six years), it has been the Yomiuri Giants, that have won a league-record 22 championships.
One could argue that Sakamoto is the Derek Jeter of Japan. In 2019, he batted .312 with 40 home runs and 94 runs batted in. The fact that the Giants got so much offensive power from their shortstop, is mighty impressive. Sakamoto also led the entire NPB with a .575 slugging percentage. Oshiro, meanwhile batted .265 with six home runs and 30 runs batted in with the Giants in 2019.
The NPB at this time is set to commence on June 19. In late March, it was also reported that Hanshin Tigers pitcher Shintaro Fujinami also tested positive for coronavirus. Fujinami, a 26-year-old native of Sakai, Japan, is a three-time all-star, who led the Central League with 221 strikeouts in 2015.
Coronavirus has also hit Japanese soccer. On March 17, it was reported that the chairman of Japanese soccer, and the vice-chairman of the Japanese Olympic Committee Kozo Tashima tested positive for the horrid pandemic. Then on June 3, Nagoya Grampus forward Mu Kanazaki tested positive as well.
There are 17,018 cases of coronavirus in Japan. There are also 903 deaths.
