Lotte pitcher Yuto Yuto Kimura (20) entered bullpen for the first time this year at Lotte Urawa Baseball Stadium on the 19th and threw 15 pitches.

The temperature when he entered the outdoor bullpen around 10 a.m. was about 7 degrees Celsius, but pitch in a short-sleeved shirt, showing his determination. He threw with about 60% of his strength and revealed his confidence, saying, "The actual games are in a month, so I wanted to throw in preparation for that, which is why I came in today. It feels really good. It's completely different from last year. I've gotten stronger."

He joined the team in 2023 as the third overall pick in the draft from Kasumigaura High School, and in his second year last season, he made his first-team debut, recording 3 wins, 2 losses, 1 ERA, 5 hold, and an ERA of 3.31, including his first professional win. On the 11th, he attended the "20th Birthday Celebration" held in his hometown of Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki Prefecture, and rekindled friendships with his friends.

"It's been a while since we last met, so we talked about a lot of things. I was really happy because they supported me more than I expected. I think this season will be really important, so I want to do my best to live up to their expectations." His words were filled with awareness of being 20 years old and his determination as the young leader of the Lotte pitcher staff.