Lotte's autumn training was held at Zozo Marine Stadium on the 28th.

On this final day of autumn practice, the fielders worked up a sweat on the ground with activities such as catch, infield practice, and batting practice, while the pitchers also performed catch and other drills.

Shunsuke Nakamori, who was selected for the Japan national team for the 'Raxus Asia Professional baseball Championship 2026', pitched in a live BP session. He threw a total of 20 pitches in two sets of 5 pitches each against Kyota Fujiwara and Daito Yamamoto, and as a closer, he limited them to 4 hit.

During an interview on the 27th, Fujiwara said, '(During this autumn practice period) I've been changing things up completely, and the feel is very good. For now, I just feel like I want to get into a real game as soon as possible.' Amidst this, he faced Nakamori in a live batting practice. One wonders if he volunteered to take that turn at bat.

He grinned and said, 'Since I knew I would be standing yesterday, I said it in the sense that I'd be able to stand tomorrow.'

After actually facing Nakamori, he felt positive about his performance, saying, 'I was able to get a hit-like contact off a good pitcher, so I think I'm swinging the bat well.'

Regarding how the ball looks from the batter's box, he said, "The way it looks hasn't changed much, but since I've changed my swing, when things are going well, even jammed contact turns into a hit." On the fifth pitch of the first set, he dropped a ball into right field despite being jammed. He felt a sense of progress, stating, "I feel like that sensation of getting hits to right field while being jammed, which hadn't been happening in the latter half, has returned."

I wonder if the current focus will basically be to continue refining things through the fall camp and into the off-season independent training.

Basically, I think we will solidify things in this form, so I want to work on improving the accuracy even further.

When asked to confirm if he was aiming for a style focused on extra-base hits, he replied firmly, 'Yes, that's right.' While he had previously been producing hits with a compact swing, he emphasized his determination, saying, 'I want to increase the number of pulled balls. Since we are in an era where pulled balls are highly valued even in the Major Leagues, I want to work on being able to do that as soon as possible.'

What will happen with the no-step hitting style?

Every year during this period, he hits with his leg raised, and he has been consistently using that form during this year's autumn practice as well. Typically, he decides whether or not to use a no-step batting style during spring camp batting practice and exhibition games. While he prefaced his comments by saying, 'There is a higher possibility that I won't use the no-step style next year,' he left the door open by adding, 'I want to think about it again when next year comes.'

This season, there were many hits on early counts, with a batting average of .457 at 0 balls and 1 strike, .412 at 1 ball and 0 strikes, and .500 at 2 balls and 0 strikes. When asked if the fact that hits were coming on early counts was a factor, the response was, 'Yes, I've become able to hit before being cornered, so I think my batting is improving.'

In past interviews, he mentioned that the no-step hitting style doesn't produce extra-base hits. "I think I can hit them, but basically, when I'm backed into a corner, I aim for the opposite field, so I've been hitting in a way that prevents extra-base hits from the start. I'm working on it because I want to change that properly."

Furthermore, one wonders if the accumulation of fatigue in the lower body from using the no-step hitting style throughout the season is also a contributing factor.

He stated firmly, "That is part of it, but since it is a way of hitting that has no future, I want to evolve." To achieve that evolution, he will start by swinging the bat relentlessly at the Miyakonojo autumn camp beginning on the 30th.

Interview and text by Yuta Iwashita