Ryūta Konno

1.1. High School Years and Amateur Baseball

Konno enrolled in Miyagi Prefectural Iwadeyama High School, making the varsity roster in his first year. In 2013, with a team of only 11 members, he led Iwadeyama High School to a second-place finish in the spring Miyagi Prefecture northern regional tournament, qualifying the team for the Miyagi Prefectural Tournament for the first time in 30 years (or 31 years if including 2011, when the spring tournament was canceled due to the Great East Japan Earthquake). Throughout the regional and prefectural tournaments, Konno recorded double-digit strikeouts in four of his six appearances, including an impressive 19 strikeouts against the Kashimadai Shogyo High School lineup in the first round of the Miyagi Prefectural Tournament. Across 53 innings pitched, he allowed 43 hits and 24 runs while striking out 69 batters. He pitched every inning in all six games, securing four complete-game victories, including one shutout.

In the summer Miyagi Prefectural Tournament of his third year, Konno achieved a no-hitter with 16 strikeouts, including six consecutive, in the first round (second game) against Yoneya Kogyo High School, contributing to the team's first tournament win in five years. Despite the no-hitter, he allowed one walk, three hit batters, and five errors by his teammates. In the third round against Seiwagakuen High School, he struck out 12 batters in every inning but suffered a complete-game loss, allowing five runs on nine hits over eight innings. Reaching the third round was his highest achievement during his high school career, and he never participated in a national tournament at Koshien Stadium in either spring or summer. His former battery-mate and captain, Hiroyuki Yamada, later became the youngest active umpire affiliated with the Miyagi High School Baseball Federation starting in the spring of 2015.

On October 24, 2013, Konno was selected by the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles as the ninth pick in the 2013 Nippon Professional Baseball draft. He signed a contract with an estimated value of 15.00 M JPY including incentives (10.00 M JPY) and an annual salary of 4.40 M JPY. He was assigned uniform number 99. He was the last player selected (76th overall) among those designated for dominant player registration. His selection reportedly came after then-first team manager Senichi Hoshino viewed a video of Konno pitching the day before the draft, remarking, "Interesting. Isn't that good?"

2.1. Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (2014-2019)

In 2014, Konno set an initial goal of reaching 150 NaN Q mph ^{(NaN Q km/h)} with his fastball. Through weight training and lower body strengthening, he gained 15 lb ^{(7 kg)} since his rookie year. In an Eastern League game on April 19 against the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, he reached 150 NaN Q mph ^{(NaN Q km/h)}, and later in the season, he recorded 153 NaN Q mph ^{(NaN Q km/h)}. Following manager Senichi Hoshino's policy of actively utilizing rookies and young players, Konno was promoted to the first team for the first time in his professional career on August 17. He made his first team debut in a relief appearance against the Nippon-Ham Fighters at Asahikawa Starhin Stadium on August 21, pitching in five games overall. In a game against the Saitama Seibu Lions at Miyagi Baseball Stadium on August 27, where four rookie pitchers shared the mound, Konno entered as the third pitcher in the top of the eighth inning with one out and the bases loaded, allowing a solo home run but securing two outs before being relieved.

In 2015, he appeared in 17 Eastern League games, recording four wins, and made two appearances in first-team games. After the season, on October 8, the team announced that his uniform number would be changed from 99 to 69 because incoming manager Masaaki Nashida wished to wear number 99. However, in July, while undergoing adjustments in the second team, Konno injured his right knee's lateral meniscus and underwent surgery on October 14. Consequently, on October 26, the team released him from his dominant player contract. On November 19, he re-signed as a development player, changing his uniform number to 090 without ever having worn number 69.

In 2016, Konno focused on rehabilitating from his previous year's surgery and did not make any game appearances. In accordance with Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) regulations for development players, he was temporarily listed as a free agent on October 31 before re-signing as a development player.

In 2017, after pitching three consecutive scoreless games in the openers, the team announced his reinstatement as a dominant player and his registration on April 6, just before the start of the regular season. His uniform number changed to 98. On April 12, he made his first appearance in a first-team game in two years against the Seibu Lions at Kobo Stadium Miyagi. Although this was his only first-team appearance that season, he performed well in the Eastern League, recording one win, three saves, and a 1.71 ERA in 17 appearances. In June, he married a high school classmate with whom he had been in a relationship since his first year with the Eagles.

In 2018, Konno made his first season appearance on June 8 against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, entering the game in a critical situation with no outs and the bases loaded in the top of the third inning. He pitched two scoreless innings, striking out three batters. On July 14, he threw the ceremonial first pitch at the opening game of the 100th National High School Baseball Championship Miyagi Tournament at Rakuten Seimei Park. This marked the first time an active professional baseball player had thrown the opening pitch at a Miyagi Prefectural Tournament, part of the Eagles' baseball promotion activities. He ultimately appeared in three first-team games, recording no wins or losses with a 1.80 ERA. In the Eastern League, he led the team with 46 appearances, achieving two wins, two losses, and one save with a 4.76 ERA.

In 2019, on May 15, Konno made his first first-team appearance of the season against the Nippon-Ham Fighters at Rakuten Seimei Park, entering in the fifth inning with a four-run deficit. He pitched three scoreless innings, contributing to the team's walk-off victory. On May 18, against the Chiba Lotte Marines at ZOZO Marine Stadium, he recorded his first professional win. This also marked the first professional win for a pitcher from Miyagi's amateur baseball community who directly joined the Eagles. On May 25, his first child, a son, was born. However, he only appeared in four first-team games that season and was informed of his release by the team on October 18 after the regular season concluded. Expressing his desire to continue playing baseball for his family, he hoped to remain active with another NPB team but did not participate in the 12-team joint tryouts on November 12.

2.2. Tokyo Yakult Swallows (2020-2024)

On November 13, 2019, it was announced that Konno would join the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, and he began participating in the autumn Matsuyama camp on November 14. He was officially listed as a free agent by NPB on December 2 and formally signed a dominant player contract with the Swallows on December 4. His estimated annual salary was 6.00 M JPY, and his uniform number was 69, the number he had been unable to wear during his first stint with the Eagles.

In 2020, despite the delayed start to the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Konno pitched well in the pre-season games and made the opening day roster for the first time in his career. On June 19, in the opening game against the Chunichi Dragons, he made his first appearance with the Swallows in the 10th inning, pitching one inning and allowing two unearned runs, taking the loss. He continued to pitch in games where the team was trailing but was removed from the roster on August 31. He was re-registered on October 6 and remained with the first team until the end of the season. Overall, he appeared in 20 first-team games, recording no wins, one loss, and a 2.84 ERA. His strikeout rate was 12.79 (36 strikeouts in 25 and one-third innings), surpassing that of closer Taichi Ishiyama. In the offseason, he renewed his contract for an estimated 8.00 M JPY, an increase of 2.00 M JPY.

In 2021, Konno earned his first win with the Swallows on April 23 against the Chunichi Dragons. He became a key setup pitcher, connecting with Noboru Shimizu and Scott McGough. He made a team-third best 64 appearances, recording 35 holds (7 wins and 28 holds), contributing significantly to the team's first championship in six years. He made his first postseason appearance in Game 5 of the 2021 Japan Series. In the offseason, he renewed his contract for an estimated 32.00 M JPY, a four-fold increase of 24.00 M JPY.

In 2022, Konno achieved his second consecutive season with over 50 appearances. Although his performance declined in the latter half of the season compared to the previous year, he still contributed to the team's consecutive championships. In the offseason, he renewed his contract for an estimated 42.00 M JPY.

In 2023, on August 13, during a game against the Hanshin Tigers at Kyocera Dome Osaka, Konno hit Ryutaro Umeno with a pitch in the bottom of the fifth inning, resulting in Umeno suffering a fractured left wrist. The Swallows' official website then published an article that seemed to praise Konno's pitching that day, drawing significant public criticism. Following this incident, Konno was removed from the first-team roster. He and other relief pitchers experienced a slump, and he finished the season with only 26 appearances.

In 2024, Konno's appearances were limited to six games, the fewest since joining the Swallows. On November 28, he renewed his contract for an estimated 27.00 M JPY, a decrease of 7.00 M JPY. He expressed his aspiration to "aim for another career-high."

2.3. Return to Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (2025-)

On December 6, 2024, both the Tokyo Yakult Swallows and the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles announced that Konno would return to his former team, the Eagles, via a cash trade. His uniform number became 66, an inversion of his original number 99 from his first stint with the Eagles. At his entrance press conference, Konno stated his desire to "show a 180-degree changed self."

5.1. Firsts

• First appearance: August 20, 2014, against the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (Game 16) at Asahikawa Starhin Stadium; pitched one scoreless inning in relief as the third pitcher in the bottom of the eighth.
• First strikeout: September 10, 2014, against the Orix Buffaloes (Game 20) at Rakuten Kobo Stadium Miyagi; struck out Takuya Hara swinging in the top of the ninth.
• First win: May 18, 2019, against the Chiba Lotte Marines (Game 8) at ZOZO Marine Stadium; pitched two scoreless innings in relief as the second pitcher in the bottom of the sixth.
• First hold: April 22, 2021, against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp (Game 6) at MAZDA Zoom-Zoom Stadium Hiroshima; pitched one scoreless inning in relief as the third pitcher in the bottom of the sixth.
• First save: June 9, 2022, against the Orix Buffaloes (Game 3) at Kyocera Dome Osaka; pitched one scoreless inning in relief as the sixth pitcher in the bottom of the ninth to close the game.

5.2. Other Notable Records

• One-pitch win: October 1, 2021, against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp (Game 20) at MAZDA Zoom-Zoom Stadium Hiroshima; pitched one-third of an inning in relief as the second pitcher with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, allowing no runs. This was the 46th instance by the 45th player in NPB history.

He also received the 東鉄工業 presents 燕の下の力持ち賞_{Tōtetsu Kōgyō presents Tsubame no Shita no Chikaramochishō}^Japanese (Tōtetsu Kōgyō presents The Swallows' Unsung Hero Award) for September-October 2021.

8.1. Pitching Statistics

• Statistics as of the end of the 2024 season.

8.2. Fielding Statistics

• Statistics as of the end of the 2024 season.