Rakuten Eagles pitcher Katsutoshi Tai (22) pitched in a live BP at the first-team training camp held in Kin Town, Okinawa on the 5th.

He played against Souzan, Yoshino, Mizukami, Taira, and others. While pitch telling them what kind of pitches to use, he was able to get 0 hits of hit nature in 30 pitches. The first time I went to the gym, I was in the middle of the night," he said. The first thing I did was to get a few more strikes on the ball. I don't think I have enough control yet.

Tai is a left-handed pitcher in his fifth year who boasts a fastball exceeding 150 km/h. He recorded 30 saves in Eastern League last season, and is expected to make a big leap this season.

He is currently learning a new slider. "It's fast and doesn't curve. slider curves just a little, almost like cutter." He is honing his high-speed slider, which reaches nearly 140 km/h, by asking his senior teammates how to throw it.

The team's relief corps is somewhat short on left-handed pitchers. "How far can I go as a relief reliever? I want to do my best not to be dropped. If we can win the battle, I want to pitch at my best," he said, imagining himself as part of the winning lineup.