"I felt like I did a little better last year, especially in the second half. I thought it would carry over to this year, but I didn't achieve the results I had hoped for, and anyone would agree that the numbers are disappointing. I think I caused a lot of trouble for the team, and it was a disappointing year."

Lotte's Riku Kikuchi was in his third year and was expected to make a big leap forward this season, but despite pitching in a career-high 21 games, he ended up with a disappointing ERA of 5.32.

Last season, he used the forkball fork he learned from manager Masahito Yoshii to establish himself in the first team from the summer onwards, pitching 20 games and 24 innings, finishing with a record of 1 win, 0 losses, 2 hold, 1 ERA of 2.25. Looking ahead to this season, he said, "After fall practice ended, I moved around every day I could, so I didn't feel like it was particularly difficult to get in," and he has been training alone, mainly at Zozo Marine Stadium.

During the spring training camp in Ishigaki Island, he said, "I was just trying to solidify my form," and there were days when he would go into bullpen bullpen to practice after the full practice.

After the start of the opening game, he said, "At this time of year, if I don't keep it straight and push hard, it will be difficult when I start the season, so that's why I'm throwing pitch fastball." In the opening match against DeNA on March 4, he said, "I think (fastball) is getting closer to the ball that I think I am," and runs the first inning. While he was getting a good response to fastball, fork, who was the catalyst for establishing himself in the first team last season, said during the opening game, "I don't think I'll know until I throw it because I'm not quite accurate at all, so I want to keep throwing it."

Looking ahead to his first appearance on the opening day first team, he said, "I think I'll be expected to give it my all and get results in every game, so I'll continue to do that and hopefully get a lot of struck out," and pitched 7 1/3 innings in six exhibition games, strike out six and ERA of 2.45. "I'm grateful to have been able to stay on the first team this far, and I've been thinking about being a part of the first team all year, so I think I've reached the starting line," he said of his first appearance on the opening day first team.

His first appearance of the season came on March 28th in the opening game against Softbank Hawks. He took mound in the ninth inning with the score at 8-2, and although Taisei Makihara hit a single to left field, he struck out the next batter to close out the game. Kikuchi reflected, "I think it was good that I was able to contribute to win, or at least play a part in it."

With his powerful fastball, he also closer a runs first inning against Orix Buffaloes on April 3rd. He was not satisfied, saying, "Well, I'd like a little more power, so I still want to clear that up." Regarding fork, which he had been working on in the exhibition games, he said, "It's still floating, so I've found a few reasons for that, so I hope I can clear it up." He also had a good feeling about his curveball, saying, "I think I'm throwing it well."

On April 6th, runs his first run of the season in a game Rakuten Eagles, and closer two consecutive runs games, he gave runs another run in the third game, and was removed from the first-team roster on May 5th. "I was mainly working on improving the coordination of my form in order to increase my output," he said, and was promoted back to the first team on May 15th.

In an interview on May 16th, Kikuchi expressed regret, saying, "I still feel like I'm not where I want to be," and pointed out his issues, saying, "I need to get deeper into the zone, and the accuracy of fork still needs work."

Regarding fastball which he had said he wanted more power from, he was not satisfied, saying, "It's not enough at all, so I think I still have a lot to improve."

In the Nippon-Ham game on May 30th, it took 32 pitches in 1 inning, and 1 runs in one inning. The second deregistration was made on June 2nd. In a season where there was a lot of back-and-forth between the first and second teams, he showed a long relief that closer three innings runs no The Giants in the second team game on June Yakult 29th, and on July 5th, he made his first start of the season and threw five innings without runs, not only in relief, but also as a starter.

At the farm, I have been working on "reducing the loss of form and improving the quality of my straight shots."

Looking at his time pitching in the farm team, he pitched with a theme in mind, such as closer one inning with a small number of pitches and throwing more inside pitches to right-handed hitter, saying, "I'm always thinking about where and what kind of ball I should throw closer, using my own pitches and the quality of the ball."

What bothered me was his low strike out in the farm team. After being removed from the first-team roster on August 15, he pitched three games and three innings, striking out two strike out, until he was re-promoted on September 16.

"First of all, I want to be able to throw a straight ball well. There are a lot of quick hitters in the farm team, so I don't want to worry too much about that. I think the important thing is to focus on what kind of ball I'm throwing and how the batter reacts."

On September 16, he was promoted for the fourth time this season, and on the same day, he pitched in relief in the Orix Buffaloes game and runs two scoreless innings. In the 7th inning of 3-7, with one out, two outs, and third base, Nishino was struck out from 2 strike to an outside angle fastball of 146 km, which was good. "The display is not satisfactory, but I think I am starting to be able to push the straight quality part, including the recent game," he said, and threw a convincing fastball.

Regarding fork, he said, "I didn't feel like I was able to use it as much in the first half as I did in the second half of last year, but I think it's gradually getting better since the second half of this year."

Regarding the curveball he occasionally throws, he added a nice accent, saying, "I think it's often cited as a pitch that batters find difficult to reach in low count, so I talk with catcher about whether to throw it in those situations or after they've cornered me, but if I can use it properly, it's a ball that can expand my range, so I try not to eliminate it."

In the Nippon-Ham game on September 20th, he took the mound after starter Sammons with two outs bases loaded in the 4th inning of 2-7, and hit Torai Fushimi with a ground ball, and put 0 on the scoreboard in the 5th and 6th innings, which became a inning straddle. In good shape, he closer two consecutive games without runs, but on September 25, his third appearance after being re-promoted, he runs 4 in the Orix Buffaloes game. The next day, on the 26th, he was canceled from the first team registration and ended this season's battle.

In the Miyazaki Phoenix League held after the end of the regular season, he threw in a variety of forms, including a quick form against Chunichi on October 6, when runner was not available, and a throw against Hanshin Tigers on October 21, when runner was not available, where he raised his leg and hit glove to get the timing right.

"My coach tells me that my quick throwing form is pretty smooth, and I think the same when I watch it myself, but how can I put it, I feel like I can transmit more power if I raise my leg properly, so I'll have to look at the data to see what happens, but for now I think I'll try to raise my leg."

Next season will be his fourth year. "I think I'm in a position where I have to pitch in 60 games. I think I need to aim for ERA in the two or one range." He is determined to pitch in the first team throughout the season and perform well.

Interview and text by Yuta Iwashita