Lotte's Shunsuke Nakamori participated in the first-team practice held at Zozo Marine Stadium on the 25th.
Nakamori made his first appearance in an external game of the season on February 19th against Hiroshima, closer three runs innings, and then on February 27th against Seibu in the 2025 Spring Miyazaki Baseball Games, he threw 59 pitches over four innings and did not closer runs.
He did not pitch in an open game for the first team in March, but he started in a spring educational league against Rakuten on March 9, throwing 4 1/3 innings and 79 pitches for 1 runs, and after Eastern League opened the season, he picked up a closer save in three scoreless runs innings against Oisix on March 20.
As Nakamori said during the Ishigaki Island spring camp, "I don't want to change my style of pushing in a straight line," the pitch of screwing with force was conspicuous, and 14 of the first 15 pitches were fastball in the practice game against Hiroshima on February 19, and the fastball-dominated pitch in the Seibu game on February 27. As for fastball, he said, "I think it's a good feeling."
fork he threw in the game against Seibu on the same day looked to have the trajectory of change-up, but looking back on that fork, he said, "I wasn't getting any strikeouts, so my arm was loose, and my form was a little different now, but it wasn't very good at the time," but added, "It's feeling good now."
In the game Oisix on March 20, his vertical slider was outstanding. In particular, he threw a 128 km vertical slider to right-handed hitter in the seventh inning with the score at 4-2, and made the third pitch foul after two strike.
When Nakamori was told about this, he reflected, "I'm in a good spot, but it would have been better if I could have gotten a strikeout," and continued, "There's still one more issue I haven't addressed, and I'll work hard on that from now on."
Still, when it came to the vertically dropping slider he threw in the game against Oisix, he was pleased, saying, "It's slider I've always used, so I think it's one of the better pitches I have and that I'm able to handle well.I've also been able to get strikeouts with it, so I think it's good."
Although he had pitched in actual games with the farm team since March, he has only allowed one runs in 14 1/3 innings pitched so far in both the first and second divisions. "I'm in really good shape, so I'd like to do my best to maintain my condition and pitch with the same quality once the season begins."
This season marks his fifth year as a professional. "I want to do my best to stay in the first team," he said.
▼ Shunsuke Nakamori 's pitch
＜First team＞
February 19 vs Hiroshima 3rd inning 33 pitches 2 hit, 1 strike out, 0 BB, 0 runs
February 27 vs. Seibu 4th inning 59 pitches, 2 hit, 0 strike out, 1 BB, 0 runs
<Farm>
March 9 vs. Rakuten 4th inning 1/3 79 pitches 4 hit, 5 strike out 1 BB 1 runs
March 20 vs Oisix 3 times, 46 pitches, 0 hits hit 2 strike out 0 BB 0 runs
Interview and text by Yuta Iwashita
