Rakuten Eagles pitcher Kenta Maeda (37), a former Yankees triple-A player who has a total of 68 wins in the majors and is returning to Japanese baseball for the first time in 11 years, attended a press conference on the 16th at Rakuten Eagles Mobile, where he showed off his number 18 uniform, the same number worn by former ace pitcher Masahiro Tanaka (37) The Giants, who is also a member of the 1988 generation. He declared that he will be a "Rakuten Eagles for life." He will support the team, which is aiming to become the number one in Japan for the first time since 2013, with an unwavering determination.

Maeda, bathed in countless flashes, began to speak nervously about his determination to wear the number 18 jersey.

"number was the most troublesome thing, and when it comes to The Eagles 's number 18, I have a strong image of Masahiro Tanaka."

Masahiro Tanaka, who is of the same generation as him, wore the number for 11 seasons at Rakuten Eagles, winning 119 games, making it a truly symbolic number. "I wondered if I shouldn't wear it. I was worried," he said.

However, it is a "very important number" to him, having worn it from 2008, his second year with Hiroshima, until midway through the 2015 season. When the team presented it to him, he was surprised but also overwhelmed with joy. Afterwards, he contacted Tanaka Masahiro and asked if he could wear it. He readily agreed, saying, "Of course, that's fine." "I have a lot of respect for Tanaka Masahiro myself, and he's the player I've always aspired to be, someone I've always followed in his footsteps. It's a great honor and a joy," he said of his decision to inherit the ace number.

He will color the number his own way with his results. "I think there may be some fans who are a little negative about it, but even if it's not right now, I want to work hard and do my best so that they can see my attitude when wearing the ground 18 and my attitude of fighting with all my might (towards) the team's win, and so that they will recognize me, even if just a little," he said with determination.

The team offered him a favorable two-year contract worth 400 million yen, plus performance-based payments, and he was also clear about his desire to be a starter, which was what made him decide to join the team. This season with The Tigers, he was unable to achieve the results he wanted due to a loss pitch in early spring, and he was transferred to the Yankees' Triple-A team, but he has shown that pitch who doesn't show his age, with a top speed of 150 km/h.

With eight television cameras and about 70 members of the press gathered that day, he renewed his determination, saying, "I didn't choose the team half-heartedly, and I chose it because I thought it would be the last team of my career.I came here with the intention of ending my career with this team."

"I'm really looking forward to next season, and I'm feeling really excited," he said, expressing his excitement as he returns to Japanese baseball for the first time in 11 years. Will he be able to help boost momentum for the team to become number one in Japan for the first time in 13 years since 2013? Maeda will be entering the "final chapter" of his career in Sendai. (Nagai Tsuyoshi)

Rakuten Eagles 's Maeda surprised the approximately 70 members of the press who gathered at his joining press conference with T-shirts featuring his own drawing of the team's mascot. Maeda, despite being a professional baseball player, is known for his unique artistic talent, having appeared on TV Asahi's "Ame Talk!" segment as "Artistic Comedians." When asked about the team's plans to produce merchandise, he said in his signature "Maeken" style, "I don't draw easily either (laughs). It wasn't in the contract, so we'll have to negotiate later."

◆Ask Maeken

-What is your impression of Rakuten Eagles?

"We have pitcher and fielder, and we also have some really good young players, so I think we're a team with real potential, and a team that can aim to win the championship."

-What are your thoughts on reaching 200 wins in Japan and the US?

"It's still a little far away, so it's not a number that I can achieve next year or anything like that, so I want to keep building on it one step at a time. However, at my age, it's difficult to have a numerical goal, but 200 wins is a number that motivates me, so I want to work hard to reach that goal."

- Which Pacific League player would you like to play against?

"Kiyomiya (Yoshiyuki) (Nippon-Ham) and Nakagawa (Orix Buffaloes), who is a junior at PL Gakuen. Kiyomiya and I played against each other on a TV program when I was in elementary school, and we talked about how we should play against each other if we ever become professional baseball players, so I'm happy that those words have come true."

-To Rakuten Eagles fans.

"I want to take to mound to help the team win, and lead the team to win in every game I pitch. I want to become pitcher that makes people want to go to the stadium to watch games where Maeda Kenta is pitching."

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