Seibu Lions Natsuki Takeuchi pitcher (24) opened his voluntary training in Kurume, Fukuoka by 16th, and showed his strong determination to take the opening season for the first time in his third year. pitcher

He looked straight ahead and said it with conviction. When asked about the opening game against Lotte on March 27th (at ZOZO Marine Stadium), he said, "Of course, we're aiming for it." In his rookie year in 2024, he appeared in 21 games, going 10-6 with ERA of 2.17 and winning the Rookie of the Year award. However, last season he got off to a slow start after injuring his left elbow during offseason training, and appeared in 12 games, going 4-5 ERA 5.26. Although the left-hander's strength is his control, he had a frustrating year with many erratic moments.

This offseason, he became a disciple of fellow left-handed pitcher Sumida. He also participated for the first time in a training camp at the "Konoe Academy" run by Toshiharu Konoe, the trainer who also teaches Imai and Sumida. After practicing "putting my center of gravity on the right side and using that momentum to throw," he is feeling a sense of recovery, saying, "I'm not getting tired even when pitching long inning, and this leads to my pitching speed not dropping."

"Being the opening day pitcher would be motivating and fun. The level of attention would also increase, so I would like to be up there," he said, showing his confidence. The left-hander's strong performance is essential for the team to mount a comeback from fifth place. (Ayami Onaka)