Lotte pitcher Jose Castillo (30) and Sam pitcher (30) held a press conference to announce their joining the team in Miyakonojo City, Miyazaki Prefecture on the 31st.
Castillo is a left-handed relief pitcher who made his major league debut with the Padres in 2018. Last season, he played for four teams, including the Mets, and had ERA 3.94 in 29 games. His career record against the Dodgers' Ohtani was one hit in three at hit At Bat, with no Home Run allowed. At the press conference, he spoke of his love for Japan and sounded confident that he would be successful in Japan, saying, "I've been interested in Japanese culture since I was a child. I'd like to visit places like the Imperial Palace, and I love anime. I watch a lot of anime, including Naruto, Jujutsu Kaisen, The Giants, Attack on Titan, and Deathnote. I think my love of anime will help me do well in Japan."
Long, formerly of the Royals, is a left-handed relief pitcher with a record of 8 wins and 11 losses in 162 games in the majors with ERA of 4.65. At the press conference, he mentioned Shun Yamaguchi, who was his teammate at the Giants when he was a rookie, and said, "I've heard that Japanese players are hardworking and have a disciplined approach to practice. I want to keep in mind what I've learned about Japanese baseball so far and do my best to the best of my ability."
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