Seibu Lions infielder Ryosuke Kodama (28) vowed on the 4th to seek revenge next season.

In his fourth professional season this year, he recorded stable results in the farm league, appearing in 66 games with a .315 batting average, 41 hits, 1 Home Run, and 14 RBI, but he was not blessed with opportunities to play for the first team. Since being removed from the active roster on August 28, he was not promoted back to the first team, finishing with no hits in 3 At Bats across 11 games. Although the team advanced to the CS for the first time since 2019, he was unable to stand on that stage and expressed his frustration, saying, 'I really wanted to be out there, and it was frustrating that I wasn't there.'

To seize a regular spot next season, this autumn's theme is 'launch angle.' Today, he participated in the autumn camp held at the club facilities in Tokorozawa City, Saitama. During tee batting, he intentionally took distance from the net to stay conscious of the ball's angle. Regardless of the pitch type or location, he is focusing on consistency, placing emphasis on 'hitting line drive-style balls at about the height of the pitcher's head, rather than just trying to lift the ball.'

In recent years, he has mainly appeared as a substitute runner or a defensive replacement, and he feels more strongly than anyone that 'I think people recognize I can play defense to some extent, so now I just have to produce results with my hitting.' He added, 'I believe if I can't get results in the one at-bat I'm given, I won't be used, so I want to bring incredible focus to that single plate appearance. I'm determined to fight back somehow. I feel that if I don't produce results next season, it's over.' With this grim determination in his heart, he continues to swing his bat in silence. (Ayami Onaka)