During the preseason exhibition games, Riya Kurihara practiced as a catcher, but the plan has now been put on hold.
SoftBank Hawks manager Hiroshi Kokubo has temporarily suspended the idea of using Riya Kurihara in the catcher role.
This decision comes after the team finalized a trade to acquire Yudai Yamamoto from the DeNA BayStars. Kokubo addressed the media during pregame practice ahead of the Hawks’ matchup against the Seibu Lions at Mizuho PayPay Dome on April 12.
Kurihara originally joined the team as a catcher, and Kokubo had suggested during spring camp that he could return to the position. While Kurihara was utilized as a catcher in exhibition games, he has not been used in that capacity during the regular season, largely due to his strong batting performance.
“Whether we go with two catchers or not, now that Yamamoto is coming, I’ve told Kurihara that we will not use him as a catcher in situations where we are trailing—something that was part of my original plan. He could be considered as a third catcher if we run a two-catcher system. Right now, he is contributing to the team with his bat. I told him that April is not the time, and with his current performance, it’s not appropriate to have him take on that role,” Kokubo explained.