On the 5th, Seibu Lions Lions announced that this season's slogan will be "Breakthrough." Manager Fumiya Nishiguchi (53), who attended a press conference at the team office in Tokorozawa, Saitama, explained the meaning behind the slogan, saying, "If we don't hit, we can't win. The meaning is that we'll keep hitting and keep on hitting, and aim for the top."

Last season, the team struggled with poor hitting, finishing in fifth place with a team batting average of .232, the lowest in the league. Speaking of the slogan that was decided upon, partly due to his own suggestion, the manager said, "We've been promoting baseball as a way to win by defense, but you can't win by defense alone. I think we have the foundation to win by defense, so now it's important to hit. I want them to hit, hit, and win." He expressed his hopes for a motivated fielder. With aggressive reinforcements, including Ishii and Kuwabara, who exercised their free agent rights and transferred to the team, the team is aiming for its first league championship in seven years and its first Japan Series title in 18 years. "If we're going to do it, we're going to aim high. We're aiming to win, so we'll work hard as a team," he said enthusiastically.