Rakuten Eagles 's Naoto Nishiguchi pitcher (29), who is aiming to challenge for a starting position, participated in the team's voluntary practice bullpen in Kanamu, Okinawa, on March 31.

On the day before spring training began, he was the first on the team to go to bullpen and threw 15 pitches. "I wanted to be in bullpen and I threw. I felt pretty good when I threw," he said, nodding.

Nishiguchi pitched in 52 games as a reliever, posting a 3-1-1 record with 31 hold and 1 save ERA 1.07. In 50 2/3 innings pitched, he posted 70 strike out and strike out, one of the best numbers in the league at 12.43.

He is currently training independently this offseason, hoping to try his hand at being a starter. "It hasn't been decided yet, but I've been told I'll be allowed to try, so if I can get good results in the exhibition games, I'm not sure if I'll be allowed to try, but that's what I intend to do. I'll do my best to make a strong impression from bullpen before the exhibition games begin," he said with a fierce look on his face.