Lotte's Kyota Fujiwara is swinging the bat this autumn with the theme of pulling the ball with good form, aiming for a hitting style that allows him to pull the ball in games.

In that context, during a practice game against Samurai Japan held on November 7, in his first at-bat in the first inning, he hit the second pitch—a fastball thrown by Yumeito Kanamaru (Chunichi) after one ball—into right field. Then, in his third at-bat in the fifth inning with one out and a runner on first and the score at 1-8, he hit the fourth pitch—an outside sinker thrown by Yutaro Ishida (DeNA) after two strikes—into right field for a hit. He quickly recorded two hits with pulled shots.

I think it was good. Since I didn't perform well at the end of the season, I felt a bit of fear, but being able to get a hit while maintaining my good form and quality of play was a significant takeaway for me.

During the autumn practice sessions being held at Zozo Marine Stadium, he mentioned, "(During this autumn practice period) I've been changing things up completely, and it feels really good," but what made him decide to "change things up completely"?

In the second half, there were parts where I fell apart because I was trying too hard to pull the ball, so I am working on how to maintain my own batting form while still pulling it. I was doing that in the second half of the season in order to evolve for next year, so I am staying conscious of it to ensure those efforts don't go to waste.

Regarding the current situation, he feels confident, saying, 'I have been working on this consciously for the past few years, but now I am digging deeper to ensure better quality. If I can master it, I believe I can definitely hit double-digit Home Runs.'

What caught my attention was that since the very end of the season, he stopped hitting with a no-step style after being cornered with two strikes. During autumn practice, he basically hit by lifting his leg, and even in the practice game against Samurai Japan on the 7th, he was hitting with his leg up. However, during the first set of batting practice at the Miyakonojo autumn camp on the 11th and 12th, he was hitting with a sliding step or a no-step style. I wonder if the meaning behind this is different from the batting practice during the regular season.

"I'm doing it because it's the easiest way to stay conscious of my back axis and wanting to drive the ball from behind," he said. He has adopted the no-step hitting method as a way to maintain that focus.

He is changing his "swing style" to focus on extra-base hits, stating, "I've always had the intention of swinging from the back, but now I'm doing it with extreme focus."

During the Miyakonojo autumn camp, news arrived of winning the Mitsui Golden Glove Award. It was a medal earned by winning the competition against the prominent Pacific League outfielder. 'While I am happy, there are still issues I need to work on. I don't know which position I will play next year (center fielder or right fielder), but I believe I can expand my defense range even further and deliver better performance, so I want to work with a spirit of improvement,' he said enthusiastically.

He will enter his ninth professional season next year. As the face of the team, he is expected to lead the group starting from the spring camp on February 1st. 'Next year, players, coaches, the manager, and all the fans will work together with the true goal of winning the championship. It will be my ninth year in professional baseball, and I have a feeling it will be my best season yet, so I want to make winning the championship my top priority.' The fact that the word 'championship' came from Fujiwara's mouth, rather than just personal goals, is proof that he is thinking about the team. With an increasing number of promising young players, he will lead the team through his batting throughout the next season.

Interview and text by Yuta Iwashita