Orix Buffaloes pitcher Hiroya Miyagi (24), who will be competing in the WBC for the second consecutive tournament, only envisions a happy ending. He is one of the people who experienced the team becoming world champion in 2011. He will never forget the champagne fight. It was a space where everyone involved with Samurai Japan could smile. In the second episode of "Samurai Talks: Towards a Consecutive WBC Victory," he promised to become world champion again, and in his unique words, he also revealed his thoughts on Dodgers pitcher Otani Shohei (31) and Padres pitcher Darvish Yu (39). (Interview and compilation by Nagata Toru)

Even though they had hosted the WBC for two consecutive tournaments, they were still not used to Miyagi.

"The first thing I feel is nervousness. Then there's pressure. The feeling and the type are the same as last time. Ever since I became world number one, I've felt the expectations. I just have to work hard and do my best."

He pitched in one game in the 2011 tournament. He pitched well in the first round against the Czech Republic (Tokyo Dome), allowing only one runs in five innings. Having experienced being the world champion at the age of 21, he had special feelings about the champagne fight.

"I'd love to do it again. I think that even those who were disappointed will forget those feelings at the moment of the champagne fight. It's rare to find a space where everyone is smiling, no matter where you look in the world. That's why I'd love to do it again."

Ohtani is the mainstay of Samurai Japan. Looking back on their first meeting three years ago, he blushed and laughed.

"One time, I was using the restroom next to Roki Sasaki, and before I knew it, Roki had been replaced by Ohtani. It was a complete misunderstanding, and I ended up speaking to him in a casual manner. From then on, my mind started to go haywire..."

It's a well-known story that Ohtani gave him permission to speak casually to him. He was happy to be able to breathe the same air as him.

"When I called him Shohei, he said, 'Oh, that's nice.' I was joking, of course. Ohtani was so amazing that I honestly don't remember what we talked about. But I think we got along well (laughs)."

Darvish, who is participating as an advisor in the Miyazaki training camp which started on the 14th, is a senior player whom I respect both pitcher and as a person.

"Three years ago, I had Darvish's picture as the wallpaper on my smartphone. By chance, Darvish saw it while riding in the same elevator. He said, 'I'm so happy.' It must have been a small thing, but it made him happy. I thought he was a really amazing person."

The wallpaper photo is of a swan boat that the two of us rowed on a day off during our last training camp in Miyazaki.

"Next time, I might send him off to San Diego on a swan boat (laughs). Everyone knows Darvish, both in the game world and in real life. I got to get closer to him through baseball, and I felt like I had grown as a person. But I can't stop. I have to work harder."

He also announced his marriage in January. He is the only member of the 2001 generation. He intends to fight in his own way.

There is one overwhelming pitcher I think Akinori Sasaki is the top of his generation and I am not trying to be the best in his generation. I respect him as an athlete. I am not there yet. I want to do my best hitter and closer as I am."

He was unable to pitch in the US last time. The left-handed pitcher, who has grown a little more mature, had a sparkle in his eyes.

"The members of the US national team are especially amazing. I'd like to play against people whose names everyone knows. I watch and learn, learn and learn, and fight and learn. I hope we can finish with a good result and laugh together at the end."

For Miyagi, this was his first reunion with Darvish since the last tournament in 2013. He refrained from asking questions about baseball that day, saying, "He seemed busy, so I just asked him how he was doing. He's a great person, and I think he's a great senior."

◆Miyagi Hiroya Born August 25, 2001 in Ginowan, Okinawa. 24 years old. Played Koshien in the summer of his first and second years at Konan High School. Selected for the Japan U-18 national team in his third year, he joined Orix Buffaloes as the first pick in the 2019 draft. He recorded 13 wins in 2021 and was named Pacific League Rookie of the Year. He contributed to the team's victory in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. His career record is 49 wins and 29 losses in 115 games, ERA 2.48. He is 171 cm tall and weighs 85 kg. He bats and throws left-handed. His annual salary is 220 million yen. Married.