Teenage Regular
Drafted first overall in 2006 from Kosei Gakuin, Sakamoto became the Yomiuri Giants' starting shortstop at 19 in 2008, an extraordinary achievement for the position. His combination of power hitting and defensive range marked him as a generational talent, contributing to the 2009 championship in just his second full season.
Batting Title in 2016, MVP in 2019
Sakamoto first reached the summit as a hitter in 2016, when he batted .344 to win the batting title - the first shortstop in Central League history to do so. In 2019 he hit .312 with a career-high 40 home runs and 94 RBIs, becoming the first Central League shortstop to be named season MVP. His 40 home runs made him only the second shortstop in NPB history to reach that mark, one shy of Katsuo Uno's positional record of 41 set in 1985. Yomiuri won the pennant that year with Sakamoto anchoring the team on both sides of the ball.
2,000 Hits and Records
Sakamoto reached 2,000 career hits on November 8, 2020, doubling to left off Yakult's Albert Suarez at Tokyo Dome. He was the 53rd player in NPB history to reach the milestone and the sixth homegrown Yomiuri player to do so; at 31 he was the second-youngest ever and the youngest right-handed hitter to get there. His career totals of roughly .280 with 280-plus home runs represent some of the greatest offensive production by a shortstop in NPB history, complemented by 4 Golden Gloves and 6 Best Nine selections.
Mr. Yomiuri Lineage
Following Nagashima, Oh, Hara, and Matsui in the 'Mr. Giants' succession, Sakamoto has spent his entire career with the franchise as captain, continuing to add to a hit total that passed 2,000 in 2020. Though age has prompted a move to third base, his legacy as the shortstop who redefined the position's offensive expectations is secure.
Defensive Contributions and Physical Gifts
Standing 186 cm tall, Sakamoto was unusually large for a shortstop, leveraging his reach and arm strength to make plays deep in the hole. Multiple Golden Glove selections confirmed he was not merely an offensive shortstop but a legitimate defensive standout whose combination of size, range, and throwing power redefined the positional archetype in NPB.
Captaincy and Leadership Role
Named Yomiuri's 19th captain in 2015, Sakamoto led by example on the field rather than vocal exhortation. The Yomiuri captaincy carries historical weight as the franchise's public face, and Sakamoto's extended tenure reflected deep trust from both coaching staff and teammates. Alongside Hisayoshi Chono and Shinnosuke Abe, he formed the core of multiple pennant-winning squads.
Batting Style and Technical Characteristics
Sakamoto's hitting stood out for his ability to drive the ball to all fields as a right-handed hitter. His opposite-field stroke on outside pitches was regarded as elite, and he paired this contact skill with genuine power, recording 30-plus home runs in multiple seasons as a shortstop. Patient plate discipline and sound pitch recognition further elevated him beyond a typical contact hitter into a middle-of-the-order threat.
The 2022 Tabloid Reports and the Club's Inaction
On September 10, 2022, Bunshun Online reported on a dispute between Sakamoto and a woman in her twenties he had been seeing. The reports concerned his conduct surrounding the woman's pregnancy and an abortion, and included LINE messages he was said to have sent; multiple weekly magazines and online outlets followed up, and criticism spread on social media. According to the reports, a settlement had already been reached between the parties. No criminal case was ever brought, and Sakamoto himself never publicly explained the matter. What stands out is the Yomiuri organization's response: the club announced no official punishment or explanation, and Sakamoto kept playing without interruption. Weekly magazines criticized this hands-off treatment as special protection for a star player (NEWS Postseven, September 13, 2022, among others). Set against his brilliant on-field record - the 'light' - the club's refusal to address reports involving its own captain belongs on the 'shadow' side of the ledger, one more example of the leniency Yomiuri has repeatedly shown toward its own.