Yuya Ando

2.1. Pre-Professional Career

Andō attended Oita Prefectural Oita Ogidai High School, where his team's highest achievement was reaching the quarterfinals of the prefectural tournament. Despite this, he remained a relatively unknown player during his high school years. He then enrolled in Hosei University, where he played for the university's baseball team. During his sophomore year, Andō notably conceded the 23rd career home run to Yoshinobu Takahashi of Keio University, which broke the Tokyo Big6 League's all-time home run record previously held by Hosei alumnus Koichi Tabuchi. Andō's university career was also impacted by a right shoulder injury, and he finished with a collegiate record of 7 wins and 4 losses.

Upon graduating from university, Andō initially planned to join Oita Bank and transition to playing softball. However, influenced by his university classmate, who would later become his wife, and driven by a desire to overcome the stigma of being "the pitcher who gave up the 23rd home run," he declined the bank's offer and instead joined Toyota Motors, an industrial league team. He later "repaid" Oita Bank by depositing his entire signing bonus from his professional baseball contract with them. At Toyota Motors, Andō emerged as a formidable right-handed pitcher, capable of throwing a fastball clocked at up to 93 mph ^{(150 km/h)}, attracting the attention of numerous scouts. He participated in the Intercity Baseball Tournament for two consecutive years (the 71st and 72nd editions). His talent was further recognized when he was selected for the Japanese national team for the 2001 Baseball World Cup. In that tournament, he recorded 2 wins and 0 losses with a 2.45 ERA, allowing only 5 hits and striking out 14 batters over 11 innings. Following his impressive performance, Andō was selected by the Hanshin Tigers in the 2001 NPB draft under the "free acquisition frame," joining his university junior and battery mate, Ryo Asai. He was assigned the jersey number 16. Upon joining the Tigers, he was reportedly teased by newly appointed coach Koichi Tabuchi about giving up the record-breaking home run.

3.1. Entry into Professional Baseball

Andō officially began his professional career with the Hanshin Tigers in 2002, having been selected in the 2001 NPB draft as a free acquisition player alongside his Hosei University teammate, Ryo Asai. He was assigned the jersey number 16, which he would wear throughout his playing career with the team.

3.2. Career Highlights and Milestones

Andō's career was marked by significant achievements, periods of strong performance, and resilience in overcoming challenges.

In **2002**, Andō made his professional debut and earned his first career win on April 14 against the Yokohama BayStars (now DeNA BayStars). However, his performance was inconsistent thereafter, and he finished the season with 3 wins.

The **2003** season saw a pivotal shift in Andō's career as he transitioned to a middle reliever role. With advice from Hideki Irabu, who had also joined the Tigers that year, Andō established himself as a key component of the bullpen. He formed a formidable "Victory Formula" alongside closer Jeff Williams, contributing to the team's first Central League championship in 18 years with an impressive ERA in the 1.00s. His strong performance led to a significant salary increase to an estimated 41.00 M JPY.

In **2005**, at the request of manager Akinobu Okada and his own desire, Andō re-converted to a starting pitcher. He adjusted his pitching form from a two-step motion to a one-step motion, which proved effective. That season, he achieved 11 wins, reached the 規定投球回 (qualified innings), and recorded a league-best winning percentage of .688, playing a crucial role in the Tigers' league championship.

Andō continued as a starter in **2006**, but an early season bout of acute tonsillitis led to his temporary removal from the roster. Following Tomoyuki Kubota's departure, he briefly returned to a relief role as part of a pitching staff reorganization. However, he rejoined the starting rotation in the summer and achieved his first career shutout victory on September 3 against the Yokohama BayStars. He finished the season with double-digit wins for the second consecutive year. His salary increased to an estimated 98.00 M JPY.

The **2007** season was challenging for Andō, as he suffered a right leg injury during spring training, delaying his start. He later experienced discomfort in his right shoulder, diagnosed as subacromial bursitis, leading to an extended period of rehabilitation in the minor leagues. He made his first appearance of the season as a reliever on August 28, eventually returning to a starting role, but concluded the season with three consecutive losses, marking a disappointing year. His salary was consequently reduced to an estimated 78.00 M JPY.

In **2008**, Andō showed strong form during spring training and was named the team's opening day starter for the first time in his career on March 28 against the Yokohama BayStars, earning a win with 5 innings pitched and 2 earned runs. He served as a pillar of the starting rotation throughout the season, achieving a career-high and team-leading 13 wins, supported by a league-best 5.79 run support average. Despite a strong season, he took the loss in a critical game against the Yomiuri Giants on October 8, which determined the league lead. Following this successful season, he signed a contract for an estimated 120.00 M JPY, marking his first time reaching the 100.00 M JPY salary milestone.

Andō was again the opening day starter in **2009** and remained a part of the starting rotation. However, his performance was inconsistent, including a career-worst 6 earned runs in a single inning on April 29 against the Yokohama BayStars. Despite some strong outings, he often lacked offensive support and finished with an 8-12 record. In a crucial period at the end of September and early October, he started three games against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows with short rest, all of which the Tigers lost, contributing to the team missing the Climax Series and finishing fourth.

For the **2010** season, Andō focused on weight loss in the offseason. Despite this, his final spring training appearance on March 20 saw him give up 7 hits and 6 runs in one inning, raising concerns. He still took the mound as the opening day starter for the third consecutive year on March 26 against Yokohama, but his unstable pitching continued. Although he earned a win with 5 innings and 3 earned runs due to a Tigers comeback, his velocity declined in subsequent starts, and he was demoted to the minor leagues on April 26 after four winless appearances. He returned to the first team mid-season, pitching as both a starter and reliever, but his struggles continued, including a career-worst 7 earned runs in a single inning on July 8 against the Yakult Swallows. He was re-demoted in August and suffered a right shoulder injury late in the season. He finished with a career-worst 7.27 ERA and 1.77 WHIP, and his salary was reduced to an estimated 77.00 M JPY.

The **2011** season began with Andō in the minor leagues due to his right shoulder injury. Although he pitched well in the Western League, he was called up to start on June 12 against the Saitama Seibu Lions. However, he was pulled after less than 2 innings, giving up 3 runs, and was subsequently removed from the first team roster. This was his only first team appearance that year, marking his first winless season. His salary was further reduced to an estimated 58.00 M JPY.

In **2012**, Andō competed for the sixth starting rotation spot and performed well in spring training, securing the role. On April 5 against the Yakult Swallows, he pitched 7 scoreless innings, earning his first win in 595 days since August 19, 2010. Despite this, he finished the season with a 3-7 record and a 4.05 ERA over 13 appearances.

Andō transitioned back to a relief role in **2013**. On June 2 against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in an interleague game, he recorded his first save in nine years. He had an excellent season, recording 12 consecutive scoreless appearances from the start and finishing with 58 appearances and 23 holds. His strong performance led to a salary increase to an estimated 75.00 M JPY.

He continued as a reliever in **2014**, though there was initial speculation about him returning to a starting role. While not as consistent as the previous year, he made over 50 appearances for the second consecutive season, recording 6 wins, 2 losses, and 23 holds with a 3.80 ERA. He also earned his first postseason win in the 2014 Central League Climax Series. His salary increased to an estimated 85.00 M JPY.

In **2015**, Andō suffered a right shoulder strain early in the season, leading to a temporary absence. Despite this, he achieved his third consecutive season with over 50 appearances. His performance was somewhat inconsistent, including two losses from walk-off home runs in the first half of the season. He finished with 5 wins, 4 losses, and 15 holds, but improved his ERA to 3.02. Contrary to expectations, his salary was slightly reduced to an estimated 82.00 M JPY.

Andō started the **2016** season in the minor leagues but was called up to the first team on April 10. He made over 50 appearances for the fourth consecutive season, finishing with 0 wins, 1 loss, and 11 holds, while further improving his ERA to 2.53.

The **2017** season marked Andō's final year as a professional player. As the team's oldest active pitcher (tied with Kosuke Fukudome as the oldest player), he began the season in the minor leagues due to the team's emphasis on younger pitchers. Despite a strong performance in the Western League, where he recorded a 0.41 ERA over 23 appearances (22 innings) by late July, he was not called up to the first team. Feeling the effects of physical decline, he decided to retire in August, announcing his decision on September 14. In his farewell press conference the following day, a tearful Andō expressed relief, stating that "a burden was lifted off my shoulders" and that playing at Koshien, where he achieved his first professional win, was "like a dream." He credited fan support for giving him strength.

The Hanshin Tigers held an "retirement game" for Andō on October 10, 2017, at Koshien Stadium, during the final regular season game against the Chunichi Dragons. Andō pitched in the 8th inning, his only first team appearance of the year. He allowed a three-run triple to Shun Ishikawa, but the next batter, Kei Nomoto, hit a sharp grounder that was miraculously caught by third baseman Ryota Arai, who had also announced his retirement. In the post-game ceremony, Andō reflected, "I was not a great player, nor did I have exceptional ability, but I gave my all for Hanshin. I have almost no regrets in my active career." His only regret was never winning the Japan Series, despite three appearances. He concluded by entrusting the goal of "Japan's best" to his teammates and younger players striving in the minor leagues. He was then tossed into the air by his teammates and walked around Koshien Stadium with Arai, marking the end of his career solely with the Hanshin Tigers. He was officially listed as a voluntary retired player by NPB on October 26.

3.3. Olympic Participation

Andō was selected to represent Japan in baseball at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. The Japanese team performed well in the tournament, ultimately securing a bronze medal in the team competition.

3.4. Pitching Style and Attributes

Yūya Andō was known for his powerful fastball, which could reach speeds of up to 93 mph ^{(150 km/h)}, and the sharpness of his breaking balls. His pitching repertoire included a slider, shuuto, forkball, and curveball.

A key strength of Andō's pitching was his exceptional control. His former teammate, Hitoshi Nakatani, noted that Andō's ability to locate pitches low and outside to right-handed batters was "unparalleled" within the team. Many of his colleagues admired his pitching form, describing it as "beautiful and logical." Pitchers Kyuji Fujikawa and Taiyo Fujita praised his mechanics, stating that "Andō slowly lifts his leg, properly shifts his weight, and despite his arm not appearing particularly fast, his pitches have good velocity. It's difficult for batters to hit pitches thrown with that kind of delivery."

5.1. Awards and Honors

Throughout his career, Yūya Andō received several significant awards and honors:

• Highest Winning Percentage: 1 time (2005). Although not officially recognized as a league title at the time, it was a notable achievement.
• Monthly MVP: 1 time (September 2006).
• JA Zen-Noh Go-Go Award: 1 time (Relief Pitcher Award, July 2003).

In international competition, Andō earned a bronze medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics as a member of the Japanese national baseball team.

5.2. Career Statistics

Below are Yūya Andō's career pitching and fielding statistics in Nippon Professional Baseball.

• Bold indicates league leader.