Softbank Hawks outfielder Ukyo Shuto has resumed training at Mizuho PayPay Dome. The speedster, who won his fifth stolen base title and fourth in a row with 30 stolen bases this season, stated, "The theme is becoming a beast. I want to increase my extra-base hits." This off-season, he plans to focus on weight training to power up.

After defeating DeNA with four consecutive wins in the Japan Series, they achieved their second consecutive championship on October 28th. Following a five-day break, he renewed his thoughts, saying, 'In the end, the Japan Series was also decided by home run, wasn't it?' He added, 'It's better to be able to hit them. Even if it's not a home run, I want to increase the number of doble and triple. I suppose my goal is to have a combined slugging percentage and on-base percentage of .750,' setting his target OPS (slugging percentage + on-base percentage) at .750.

This season, he appeared in 127 games, recording a .275 batting average, 4 Home Runs, and 39 RBI. His OPS was .690 (a .362 slugging percentage and a .337 on-base percentage). While increasing muscle mass would be meaningless if it caused his greatest weapon, speed, to decrease, he believes achieving both is possible, stating, 'I think I can increase my speed even further.' He is also aiming for an increase in stolen bases as a double benefit, noting, 'If my exit velocity increases, the probability of getting a hit increases. If my extra-base hits increase, my Walks will also increase.'