Nippon-Ham pitcher Sachiya Yamazaki and catcher Torai Fushimi, who transferred from Nippon-Ham to Hanshin Tigers, held a talk show in Sapporo on the 22nd.

The battery, affectionately known as "Sachitora" since their time Orix Buffaloes, was immediately greeted with cheers from the fans filling the hall when Fushimi revealed that they were wearing matching glasses.

When asked when they started working together more often as a battery, Fushimi replied, "Around 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic." He recalled that time, saying, "I wasn't playing in many games as catcher either. Fukuya was pitching, but he wasn't able to maintain his place in the rotation. Wakatsuki was the main pitcher, and it would be tough for him to pitch for a whole week, so it was like, 'When it's Fukuya's turn, he should pitch.' I was fired up, and Fukuya was fired up to maintain his place in the rotation, so we were both really fired up. We had a lot of meetings to make the most of that one chance a week."

Furthermore, during meetings, he employs a special method to suit the somewhat airheaded Yamazaki. "I draw it on something like a blackboard, and tell him things like, 'When this batter hits, I'll curve the ball from this point, and when I throw here, I'll be a little stricter.' He can't get it across in words, so I use colors and other things that even a first or second grader can understand," he said with a laugh.

Yamazaki expressed his gratitude with a smile, saying, "There were lots of colors, and triangles and squares, so of course it was easy to get into my head."