Lotte's Joey Lucchesi is adjusting to the Japanese ball.

In the three games spanning 15 innings from his debut in Japan against the Orix Buffaloes on August 9 to the Softbank Hawks game on September 13, he struggled with his control, giving up 10 BB. However, in both the Orix Buffaloes game on September 23 and the Rakuten Eagles game on September 30, he pitched 7 innings and allowed 0 Walk.

"I feel that I have definitely been able to adjust to the Japanese ball," he said, expressing a positive outlook. "Regarding the game on September 30th, I was able to consistently throw fastballs over 150 km/h, and in addition to that, I was able to throw them with stability. I was hitting the zone, and I am satisfied with my own pitching performance," he said, showing confidence in his progress.

Lucchesi uses a fastball, two seam fastball, and a 'churve' (a curveball thrown with a change-up grip) as his weapons, but in his recent outings, his splitter has been good.

In the previous game against the Rakuten Eagles, the 134 km/h splitter on the 4th pitch that struck out Akira Shigenaga swinging from a 1 ball 2 strike count with two outs and no runners in the 2nd inning of a 0-0 game, and the 132 km/h splitter on the 5th pitch that struck out Kohiro Komori swinging from a 2 ball 2 strike count with one out and a runner on first in the 4th inning of a 0-2 game, were both excellent.

I think the splitter is a good pitch for me. To be honest, I am thinking that I want to use it more. In the previous game against the Rakuten Eagles, I was able to use the splitter effectively, and since hitters start to get used to you during the third or fourth time through the lineup, I was able to throw off the hitter's expectations with the splitter in that sense. Including those factors, I want to use it more in the future. I think it is very good.

When he first arrived in Japan, the pitch ratio of his splitter was relatively low, but the fact that the ratio has been increasing in his recent appearances might be related to the good feel he has for the splitter during practice and in the bullpen.

To be honest, I needed to adjust to everything, including the environment in Japan, the sleeping conditions, and the fact that I had come to a new country. Regarding the splitter, I didn't use it much at first, but as the feel for it improved, I started using it in the bullpen and during practice. I felt I could use it in games, so I have been doing so. As a result, I have been able to use it effectively like this.

Watching Lucchesi's pitch, he is able to get swings and misses with every type of ball. I wonder if that is his own strong point.

I think the reason I am definitely getting swings and misses is that I am mixing in various pitches. I believe I am getting those swings and misses precisely because I am mixing in everything—two seam fastballs, fastballs, changeups, and more. There were days when I got hit, so in those moments, I reflected properly, analyzed for myself through video and data why I wasn't performing well, and made changes. I think I am getting many swings and misses because I have been adjusting each and every time.

Lucchesi's stability is increasing with every pitch. He wants to put together a solid performance in the game against the Seibu Lions, which is the team's final game of the season.

(Joey Lucchesi's pitcher interpreter = Chiba Lotte Marines interpreter Junpei Murata)

Interview and text by Yuta Iwashita