On the 23rd, Softbank Hawks infielder Taisei Makihara held a public training session in Ogori City, Fukuoka, and expressed his caution against the United States in preparation for the World Baseball Classic in March, for which he has been selected.
In the morning, he received practice at shortstop, second base, and in outfield, and in the afternoon he had about two hours of batting practice. In preparation for his second consecutive WBC appearance, he is working hard every day with the theme of "building a physique that will allow him to take part in a real game at any time."
When asked by the press which country he's looking forward to facing, he replied, "I think America will be putting in a lot of effort this year." Major League Baseball players like Yankees' Judge and Phillies' Harper have already announced their participation, making them a formidable opponent for Japan, who is aiming for a consecutive championship. Dai Makihara, who played center fielder when Japan won the championship in the last tournament, grinned and said, "I'll do my best not to look up to them." He likened the words of Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani before the game when they faced each other in the 2023 finals, "Let's stop looking up to them," and expressed his excitement for the match. "The pressure was immense last time. On the other hand, because I had that experience, I've learned to approach the tense games during the season with a positive sense of tension." He aims to become world champion again and contribute to the team's third consecutive league championship.
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