[Orix] Soichiro Yamazaki returns from pitch with momentum to pitch with thought. He vows to "contribute to win wherever he's assigned" for the CS | Pacific League

[Orix] Yamazaki Soichiro returns from pitch with "momentum" to pitch with "thinking" and vows to "contribute to win wherever I'm assigned" in the CS

Sports Hochi

2025.10.7(火) 05:00

Orix Buffaloes pitcher Soichiro Yamazaki (27) is confident in his "innovation." Despite struggling with three farm team adjustments this season, he has increased his appearances from seven games last year to 28, and has recorded one win and four hold in eight games since September. His pitching style, which doesn't rely on brute force, but instead puts him in a "thinking" pitch, has led to his recovery. In two consecutive games against Softbank Hawks (Mizuho PayPay) on September 20th and 21st, he successfully put out bases loaded fires with no outs. In an exclusive column for Sports Hochi titled "Life is Only Once," he promised to perform well in the postseason, saying, "I believe the new me will be able to grow even more."

Dear Sports Hochi readers, it's been a while. This is a column I've been writing since last year, right after spring training in February. I've been struggling since the start of the season, but I've done what I needed to do. If I had to describe this year's regular season, it would be "new." I accept the fact that I caused trouble for the team. I would like to convey in my own words what has changed, including my way of thinking about baseball and pitch.

Up until now, I've just been closer, or pitching with just momentum. Even in the early part of this year, I continued to feel like, "My pitches are getting stronger, so why are they still hitting them?" I was finally sent down to the farm team in August. I watched videos from various angles, focusing on pitch selection, and my thinking changed.

Frankly, what I thought was, "I'm not thinking..." I realized that I had no memory of when I was pitching, like "How did I attack this hitter here?" It's no good trying to remember by watching video. Your body changes, and you're not skilled enough to pitch with the same form every time. I thought that thinking would give me more leeway, and that's the way I thought about it.

The game Softbank in September was one where I was able to put it into practice with visible results. Even in a situation with no bases loaded, my mind was incredibly clear. For example, on the 20th. I clearly remember the situation and my thoughts at the time. First, it was fielder’s choice. I threw fork into strike zone, and he swung and missed with a straight pitch. I threw fork into the ball zone, and then another fork low. I aimed and threw the pitches as I imagined, and got the best result: struck out.

I was able to stay calm even when Shuto pitched with two outs. I threw fork in strike zone, a straight pitch inside, and a straight pitch that was fouled off with count at 1-1. I was pitching while thinking about how I could get count in my favor. I made the other team think, "Maybe he could throw fork?", and then I ended up struck out out looking with a straight pitch. I was able to pitch it right on the line, which gave me a lot of confidence.

closer calmly hold down hitter while sorting through each one individually. This is something I couldn't have done before, and I can picture myself struggling with a bad count. I pushed hard, and with full count, I was wondering whether Walk or hit. I'm no longer aggressive, but now I'm always calm and thinking.

My weakness was that I watched a lot of different pitcher and tried too many things, which resulted in me changing my approach. Now I need to focus on one theme. That's the advice that Coach Kishida gave me. I'm also grateful to the coaches and data team who have been watching me since the Kochi training camp last fall.

I have said in the past that "speed is romance." I haven't given up on my dream of throwing 165 km/h, but what's more important is playing baseball for a long time. That's not what I'm looking for right now. The CS will start soon. If I'm given the opportunity to pitch, I'll just want to pitch. I'll contribute to win wherever I'm assigned. I believe the new me can grow even more. (Yamazaki Soichiro)

◆Yamazaki Soichiro (Yamazaki Soichiro) Born June 15, 1998, in Kaga City, Ishikawa Prefecture. 27 years old. He began playing baseball at the Yamashiro Youth baseball Club in the third grade at Yamashiro Elementary School, and played for the Kaga Boys during his time at Yamashiro Junior High School. He was selected for the Japan Boys National Team in his third grade, and won the World Youth baseball Championship. He was on the bench at Tsuruga Kehi High School (Fukui) from the spring of his first grade, and played Koshien in the spring and summer of his second grade and the spring of his third grade. He joined Orix as the sixth pick in the 2016 draft. He was called up to the Japan National Team for the 2023 World Baseball Classic, where he won the world championship. His career record is 5 wins, 7 losses, 10 saves, 37 hold, and ERA 3.02 in 112 games. He is 190 cm tall and weighs 98 kg. He bats and throws right-handed. He earns an annual salary of 53 million yen.

◆Yamazaki's daily no-death bases loaded slash In the Softbank game on September 20 (Mizuho Paypay), he took the mound in 5th place in the 8th inning of 3-3 with no outs bases loaded. When he swung Umino struck out, pinch hitter Nomura flew in the middle, missed Shuto and closer to struck out, his teammates' batting line immediately after that, winning two runs and winning his second win of the season. In the same game on the 21st, the score was 2-0, but in the same 8th inning with no outs bases loaded, he went to mound in 5th place. Kurihara was swung struck out, Makihara Dai was hit by a bad fly, missed pinch hitter Yamakawa and finished off with struck out, and succeeded in extinguishing the fire for two days in a row.

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