"I really think this is a crucial year, so I'm going to make sure I take advantage of the opportunity and produce results in the first team all year. I think I have to do more than when I pitched in more than 40 games for three consecutive years, so I want to do my best to produce good results from the exhibition games, make an impression and be able to compete all year long."
Lotte's Fumiya Ono spoke of his extraordinary feelings for this season at the Ishigaki Island spring training camp in February, and he was the only member of bullpen to have never been sent down to the farm team since the start of the season, fighting through it and making a strong impression of his "complete recovery" this year.
In preparation for the 2025 season, during his off-season training, he focused on building up his stamina to compete throughout the year. He spent spring training with Ishigaki, and pitched eight inning in eight games in practice matches and exhibition games in February and March, striking out 12 strike out, more than the number inning, with ERA of 2.25, earning him a spot on the opening day first team for the first time in two years.
"I still feel like I've only just made it (to the first team at the start of the season), so I want to work hard to produce good results and be able to pitch in the first team until the end."
Since the season opener, he has wielded his arm in a variety of situations, including behind-the-back games, starter after inning surrendering a run in the middle of a game, winning games, and tying games.
On May 18th against Nippon-Ham Fighters, he pitched in the 12th inning with the score at 1-1, closer kept the first inning runs, leading to a walk-off hit by Misho Nishikawa in the bottom of the inning. After the game, manager Yoshihito Yoshii praised him, saying, "They often say that getting three outs is the key to getting into a good rhythm, and I'm glad that that worked out."
On May 31st against Nippon-Ham, he pitched in the 7th inning of a 3-1 win for the first time this season. "It's rewarding to be in a winning game, and I hope to continue pitching in places like that." With one out and no runner on base, Taiki Narama hit a ball to right field, but he struck out out Ryota Isobata with a 154 km/ fastball and closer the score at runs with Yuya Gunji to second base, earning hold.
In the game against Hiroshima on June 11th, he said, "It's basically a pinch in the middle of the inning, so it's the same, but I think I need to be even more closer," and took the mound in the 10th inning of 2-2 with one out and one on second base, and threw Nobuya Suebao from 1 ball 2 strike with a 156 kg fastball, and Ryosuke Kikuchi with a 156 kg fastball He finished off with a straight pitch and got out of a pinch.
In the game Rakuten on July 2nd, he recorded his fastest pitch of 159 km/h, and in the first half of the season he pitched in 27 games and 23 1/3 innings, with a record of 1 win, 2 losses, 5 hold, and ERA of 2.31.
After the All-Star break, he said, "I mainly pitch with a fastball and slider, so there are good times and bad times, and I think I can do better." However, in the game Rakuten on July 30th, with the score 5-7 and two outs and a runner on first in the eighth inning, he threw a 137 km/h vertically dropping slider as his third strike, striking out struck out with two strikes, and in the game Rakuten on August 21st, with the score 11-7 and Voit leading off the seventh inning, he threw a 134 km struck out vertically dropping slider, striking out Voit with two strike.
As fastball said, "I don't think I was able to keep it straight without falling too much, or I don't think it would have changed to such a bad side," in the Orix game on August 9th, in the 7th inning of 2-2 with two outs and first base, he finished Keita Nakagawa with 2 balls and 2 strike and a struck out from the outside corner of the 155 km fastball It was spectacular.
Since the game Orix on August 26th, he has been throwing quick pitches even when there are no runners on base, saying, "I don't have any particular reason," but also, "I just throw because it's the best balance for my body, or rather, the balance when I'm runner."
change-up also threw right-handed hitter in the Orix game on September 25, including a 6-0 8-inning runner without a hit in the eighth inning with no outs, and Ryo Ota with a struck out change-up of 141 kg from 1 ball, 2 strike. In an interview after the season, he said, "slider is wary of something, so I want to throw more change-up so that I can make use of the slider and straightness," and expressed his desire to throw more next year.
Throughout this season, bullpen has been struggling in various positions, such as behind, tied, won 7 innings, and pitched when the starter left the game in the middle of the inning.
"I don't think there's been much good that's happened all year, and it feels like there's been good times and bad times," he reflected, before revealing his challenges: "I want to be able to struck out out more. I haven't been struck out out that much this year, so I want to be able to get out of struck out situations with a strikeout."
This season, he pitched in 47 games, with a record of 2 wins, 2 losses, 10 hold, and ERA of 2.59.
"I want to pitch more when we're winning, and I want to make a strong showing from spring onwards, show that I can do it, and win the game myself."
"Next year will be my seventh year, and since this year we have been focusing on young players, so I want to make sure I don't get outdone by them. I want to be able to lead bullpen and the other players. I will do my best to perform well, and aim to win the league championship and become the best in Japan."
Next season, I plan to pitch in at least one more winning game and contribute to the team's win.
Interview and text by Yuta Iwashita
