Rakuten Eagles The team is aiming for a .500 batting average and a .370 on-base percentage. Fumiya Kurokawa infielder (24) is aiming to play every game as an unshakable regular, and on April 27, he opened his voluntary training in Sendai City. last season, his sixth year, he played a career-high 83 games and hit .299 with a .4 Home Run and .33 RBI. This offseason, he strengthened his long-ball hitting ability and physicality while training voluntarily with Hanshin Tigers and Jun Nishi. He will complete the season as the center of the team with his improved hitting.

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Young players such as Kurokawa, who is in his second year, will be key players in the team's comeback this season.

Although they missed out on a top-three finish last season, a steady stream of young fielder emerged. Muneyama secured the starting shortstop position as a rookie, and Kurokawa and Nakajima also claimed regular spots. They continued to shine a ray of hope.

This off, the team mainly focused on reinforcing the starting lineup. Ken Maeda, who returned to Japan for the first time in 11 years, Contreras, a right-hander with a total of 10 wins in MLB, and Ureña, a right-hander with a total of 44 wins, have newly joined. In the draft, Fujiwara = Hanazono University = in the first place, Tatsuki Ito = Waseda = in the second place, and immediately won the pitcher in a row.

On the other hand, aside from the draft picks, the only position fielder acquired was McCusker, who was also acquired with potential for growth in mind. Acquiring new players doesn't necessarily lead to improved team performance. It's different from the world of video games. The team's decision not to stifle existing players suggests high expectations for the rapidly developing young fielder.

The professional world is a cutthroat one. If a weakness is found, it will immediately be used as a clue to overcome it. It is not easy to produce results two years in a row. Manager Miki also mentioned the names of Muneyama, Nakajima, Kurokawa and others, encouraging them to do their best, saying, "Just when you get a foothold in the first team and get excited about going further, I think you will hit a new wall. I want you to overcome that and grow."

The young players who made a breakthrough last season are aiming to perform well for two consecutive years. When they show further growth, the team will become much stronger.