Photo/Illutration Yuma Tongu, left, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto when they were elementary school students (Provided by Tetsuya Tongu)

Ace Orix Buffaloes pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the team's cleanup hitter Yuma Tongu grew up as neighbors.

The so-called "miracle childhood friends" led the Buffaloes to the brink of their second consecutive Japan Series championship, although they lost in seven games to the Hanshin Tigers.

The two friends met for the first time more than 20 years ago when Tongu’s family moved to next to Yamamoto’s in a neighborhood in Bizen, Okayama Prefecture.

Their two families soon became friends, and the two boys attended the same elementary school and played together on the same baseball team.

Yamamoto, 25, later relocated to Miyazaki Prefecture to enroll in Miyakonojo High School, renowned for its baseball program.

He started his professional career in 2016, when the Buffaloes selected him in the fourth round of the draft.

Two years later, Tongu, 26, a fresh graduate of Tokyo’s Asia University, also joined the Buffaloes, selected in the second round of the draft.

The two became teammates again.

However, Tongu’s first years with the Buffaloes proved challenging. In his rookie year of 2019, he hit fifth in the lineup in the opening game, but after that, he went back and forth between the first team and the second team.

“I was shocked to see Tongu struggle so much in the professional ranks,” Yamamoto recalled. “After all, he had been a star player all his life.”

Their initial relationship on the team was awkward as well.

When they were alone, they called each other by their first name, just as they had always done.

However, when other teammates and team staff were around, Yamamoto used formal language toward his childhood friend and politely addressed him as “Tongu-san.” 

Within Japanese society in general and the athletic world in particular, people are expected to show respect to their seniors.

Even though Yamamoto was just a year younger than Tongu, Yamamoto was concerned that people might find it disrespectful if he behaved too friendly and intimately toward his longtime friend.

“I was a bit worried because not everyone knew that we had grown up together,” said Yamamoto.

Tongu had a major breakthrough this season, his fifth. He was no longer a backup catcher, but was used primarily as a first baseman.

His batting skills finally blossomed, hitting .307 to lead the Pacific League in batting average.

Yamamoto, who had long been established as the ace pitcher of the league, was delighted.

"This is what happens to someone who has been that great since the beginning," he said.

Now that everyone knows about their long-term friendship, Yamamoto feels comfortable addressing Tongu by his first name, Yuma, at any time.

Yamamoto was granted permission from the Buffaloes to use the posting system to seek signing with a team in the major leagues in the United States next season.

"It's the best league in the world, my goal is to excel there," Yamamoto said.

On Nov. 4, in the sixth game of the Japan Series against the Tigers, Yamamoto pitched a complete game with one run allowed and set a series record with 14 strikeouts.

In what is expected to be his last appearance in Japan, he gave it his all.

Tongu hit a solo home run in the eighth inning of that game to support his friend. He knew that this would probably be their last time playing together.

In the seventh and deciding game on Nov. 5, Tongu also hit a farewell home run with two outs in the ninth inning as the Buffaloes lost 7-1. 

In the second "Kansai derby" in history, Tongu's three home runs in the series were the most by any player.

After the game, Tongu said about Yamamoto, "No one knows what will happen, but I hope he does his best. I’m sure he will be successful (in the major leagues)."

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