Lotte's Yuto Kimura "I can't lose either" - inspired by the success of his classmate Terachi

Baseball King

2025.6.17(火) 00:25

Lotte Yuto Kimura practicing pitch in bullpen [Photo by Iwashita Yuta]
Lotte Yuto Kimura practicing pitch in bullpen [Photo by Iwashita Yuta]

"I've faced a lot of different batters, and compared to the beginning, I've become much more familiar with their characteristics and my style of striking them out by matching them with pitch that sense, I've gotten used to (the atmosphere of the first team), and I don't feel like I'm weak against it."

Yuto Kimura, a second-year high school graduate for Lotte, made the opening day first team and in his first professional appearance on March 30th against Softbank, he pitched one runs inning closer earn his first professional win. He then recorded his first professional hold in a game Rakuten on April 18th and his first professional save in a game against Rakuten on May 15th, recording his fastest pitch of 154 km/h. So far, he has pitched in 14 games, 19 2/3 innings, with one win, five hold, and one save, for ERA 2.75, making him an active member of the team.

He had been working on improving the strength of fastball since his private training, and in his first professional appearance on March 30th against Softbank, he recorded his fastest pitch at the time, 152 km/h. Then, in the game Rakuten on May 15th, with the score 5-2 and one out and a runner on first in the ninth inning, he threw to Asamura with two balls and two strikes on strike, which was a ball, but he still recorded his fastest pitch of 154 km/h.

Does he feel that fastball, which he has been so particular about, is up to par with what he needs to do on the first team?

"When it comes to straight balls, there are some that work and some that don't, so balls that are high have a bit of power so you can get a foul, but when the ball drops, it often gets caught or stuck."

As for the breaking ball, he also uses the cutter as a weapon, but in the May 28 game against Orix, which closer two runs innings, he struck out Kenya Wakatsuki with one out in the eighth inning of a 1-1 tie and splitter at 2 strike to struck out strike It was a good drop from zone to ball zone.

Regarding splitter, he said, "It wasn't a ball I could use during the training camp, but as I gained experience facing first-string batters, I started to get a better feel for it, and it's the ball I'm most confident in after cutter and my small slider, so I can throw it with confidence, swinging my arm."

Currently, players of the same generation are playing on the first team, including Ryusei Terachi, who is in the same year and has played in 43 games so far, with a batting average of .271, 4 Home Run inning, and 13 RBI, and Haruya Tanaka, who is one year older and has pitched 43 innings in 7 games, with a record of 3 wins and 3 losses and an ERA of 2.09, proving to be extremely stable.

Regarding the presence of players of a similar generation, Kimura said, "Looking at Terachi's recent success, I don't feel jealous, but I also feel like I can do a lot more, and since we are in the same class, I would like to work hard together with him."

"I can't help but worry about my own results, so when I see Teraji's performance, I don't feel like it's amazing, but I feel like I can't let myself lose," he said, finding Teraji's success inspiring.

There is no doubt that they will carry The Marines in the future. "Teraji is my classmate, so like (Tanaka) Haruya, I want to pitch with the feeling that we are the ones pulling the team to victory with the power of the young players." I hope that his pitching will further accelerate the team's momentum on mound at the enemy's home Koshien, Hanshin Tigers, on the 17th, when he will make his first professional start against Hanshin.

Interview and text by Yuta Iwashita

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Lotte's Yuto Kimura "I can't lose either" - inspired by the success of his classmate Terachi

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