Lotte's Haruya Tanaka held a public training session at Zozo Marine Stadium on the 25th.

He once again trained independently at Driveline in the US. Last season he focused on fastball, and this offseason he has continued to fastball. "I'm just as confident fastball as I was last year, so I was in good form in the first half of last year, but my average pitch speed dropped towards the end, and I think that was due to fatigue and my condition. Another issue I have is that I wasn't able to keep my form stable, so I think I'll be in good shape this year, and the key is how well I understand my form and how well I can be in good condition for each game in terms of conditioning. I want to make the most of what I've learned this year, not just in terms of technique."

Last season, he started pitching with gaps between appearances, but this season he is expected to start pitching with six days between appearances.

"I think I'm now in a position where I have to pitch every six days. Of course, I didn't pitch many times last year either, but I've always been conscious of that, so I'm not particularly worried and I think I can go into the game with confidence."

Currently, Lotte's starting pitchers are Kazuya Ojima, who has reached the required innings pitched for five consecutive years, and Atsuki Taneichi, who was selected to represent Japan in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in March. Is there any desire to become an ace pitcher alongside them this season?

"Of course, there are many things I respect about all the starting pitcher, but I don't want to compare myself to anyone. I have my own strengths, and the other pitcher have their own strengths, so I think we're all competing against each other. Rather than comparing, I think the most important thing is to be able to win every game you pitch in, including the card and the game, and I want to be that kind of pitcher."

This season, Haruya Tanaka aims to maintain his place in the starting rotation, reach the required innings pitched, and achieve double-digit win. This will be an important year for Haruya Tanaka and the team.

Interview and text by Yuta Iwashita