Masahiro Araki

Wearing number 2 in 2011, Masahiro Araki served as the leadoff second baseman during Manager Ochiai's final year, contributing significantly to the team's first-ever back-to-back titles. This was also the year he returned to his original position at second base after the highly discussed "Araiba Switch" of 2010, where he had swapped positions with Hirokazu Ibata to play shortstop.

Hirokazu Ibata

In 2011, Hirokazu Ibata overcame repeated injuries and health issues to make a tenacious comeback in Manager Ochiai's final year, contributing to the team's historic consecutive titles. Having suffered from eye problems in 2010 and undergoing ankle surgery due to the strain of switching to shortstop, he began the season facing the greatest crisis of his professional career.

Kazuki Yoshimi

In 2011, Kazuki Yoshimi used his overwhelming control to post a staggering record of 18 wins, 3 losses, and a 1.65 ERA. It was a career-high season where he led the team to consecutive titles as the absolute ace of the Dragons. In a team struggling with an extreme lack of offense (a .228 team batting average), his starts provided the team and fans with an absolute sense of security: "If Yoshimi pitches, we won't lose."

Takuya Asao

In 2011, Takuya Asao became the first relief pitcher in professional baseball history to be named season MVP, a legendary feat that rewrote the history of Japanese baseball. By achieving the unprecedented milestone of a setup man winning the MVP, he became the literal driving force that led a team with the lowest batting average in the league (.228) to its second consecutive title.

Hitoki Iwase

In 2011, Hitoki Iwase struggled with poor form and injuries from the start of the season, but regained his overwhelming presence toward the end. He achieved an unprecedented 300 career saves and closed out the team's first-ever back-to-back titles. As the absolute closer, he formed the golden relay from Takuya Asao to Iwase, serving as the winning pitcher for Manager Ochiai's final victory toss.

Kazuhiro Wada

In 2011, Kazuhiro Wada fell into a severe slump due to the impact of the unified ball, finishing with a .232 batting average and 12 home runs. However, he remained a key player, contributing to the Dragons' consecutive Central League titles with clutch hits, including a priceless three-run homer in the critical series against Yakult.