Nippon-Ham pitcher Koki Kitayama (27) will turn 'cuddling,' which he cannot do during the season, into strength for next season. On the 26th, he participated for the first time in the autumn practice held at ES CON Field. Although he did not train, he spent a peaceful time chatting with staff and teammates.

After the final stage of the Climax Series ended on the 15th, he said, "I spent some relaxing time with my family." Since the 2025 off-season included events like the WBC, he had no time to rest, noting, "I've been going non-stop for two years." The right-hander, who won the double crown for most wins and highest winning percentage in the Pacific League this season, stated, "I'm taking October off. I'll start in earnest from December, so I want to prepare from now on so that I can get off to a good start then." He is currently using this as a recharging period to ensure continued success.

His source of joy during this time is spending time with his child (gender not disclosed), who was born last December. After the Climax Series, he was able to stay overnight and smiled, saying, 'I finally felt like I could experience daily life again. It was good to have some time to relax.' He especially finds fulfillment in holding his child. 'During the season, I can't do it because if my arms or back get tight, it affects my pitching. Lately, I've been holding the baby for almost 24 hours. I wanted to do it in the first place. I felt a bit lonely and had been holding back, so now I'm holding my child a whole lot.'

The time spent with his child, who has started to pull themselves up to stand, has also led to a renewed sense of determination for himself. 'They're so cute. Just seeing that smiling face is healing,' he says with a laugh. 'I can really only do this right now. I'm cherishing these common moments of family happiness. Once the season starts, it will be tough for me, but I want to perform well so that my family can keep smiling. To that end, I want to work hard on my training during the off-season. I'm using this time to recharge my energy.' After a period of physical and mental refreshment, Kitayama is preparing himself to reach even greater heights.