Lotte's Kaishu Takahashi has pitched in two games since being promoted again on September 25, and he has retired the side in order in both as a closer.

Takahashi earned a spot on the active roster on July 30 and made his professional debut in the 9th inning of the Orix Buffaloes game on August 7 with the score at 2-6. He marked a 1-inning debut with 0 runs, which included getting Ryoto Kita struck out swinging with two outs and no runner on, using a 140 km/h fork that dropped from the strike zone into the ball zone after a 2-ball, 2-strike count.

On August 12th against the Softbank Hawks, he gave up 3 runs, including his first earned runs in a regular season game across both the first and second teams. However, in the August 16th game against the Seibu Lions, he threw 12 pitches in one inning—11 of which were fastballs in a power pitching display—to retire the side in order. Although he gave up 2 runs in two innings against the Rakuten Eagles on August 19th and was removed from the first-team roster the following day on August 20th, there were moments even in the first team where he pushed through with his fastball, such as in the August 16th game against the Seibu Lions. He gained confidence, stating, 'I think it gave me confidence to realize that I could push through with my fastball more than I had expected.'

After being demoted to the farm team, he worked on specific issues, saying, 'I was focusing on the inside corner for right-handed hitters and my fork. I was conscious of my finishing pitch.' In 3 games and 3 innings pitched, he allowed 3 hit, recorded 3 strike out, 0 BB, and acted as a closer with zero runs.

In the DeNA second-team game on August 25th, with the score 3-6 in the 9th inning and one out with runners on second and third, the 6th pitch—a 135 km/h outside fork that dropped nicely from the strike zone into the ball zone—struck out Shuto Naruse swinging after a 2-ball, 2-strike count. 'My feel for it was quite good in the farm league, but I'm still not there yet, so I want to keep refining it from here on.' To improve the precision of his fork, his practice of consciously throwing it during catch remains unchanged even now.

After being promoted back to the first team on September 25, he pitched in a hold situation in the 7th inning with a 4-1 lead against Nippon-Ham on September 27.

Even in the farm league, he had experience pitching in winning games, such as recording a save in the 9th inning of a 1-0 game against the Softbank Hawks second team on April 28. Saying, "I think I was able to pitch without worrying too much," he struck out the leadoff batter Shu Yamagata looking with a 135km/h outside fork on a 1 ball 2 strike count, then got the next batter Yuya Shindo to ground out to short on a slider with a 2 ball 2 strike count. Finally, he got Kota Yazawa to ground out to second on a 6th-pitch fastball after a 3 ball 2 strike count, retiring the side in order without trouble in the 7th inning to record his first professional hold.

Regarding the fork in his appearance on the 27th, he gave a self-evaluation, saying, "It wasn't that good, but I think it's getting better overall."

In the game against the Softbank Hawks on October 3rd, with the score 0-1 in the 8th inning, the closer retired the side in order starting from the number one hitter in the batting order, Tomoya Masaki, and struck out the number three hitter Kensuke Kondo swinging at a 151 km/h outside fastball on a 2-ball, 2-strike count.

His fastball has become much more powerful over the past year. He himself feels positive about his other pitches as well, stating, "The fastball is one thing, but I think my feel for the breaking ball has also become quite good."

There are two games left for the first team. "First of all, I think I just need to deliver my pitch properly in the opportunities I'm given this year, so since I've been given a chance, I want to produce results there." Focusing solely on results, he aims to carry this momentum into next season.

Interview and text by Yuta Iwashita