Orix Buffaloes He announced Alen Kuri pitcher (34) that he would "lift the ban" on breaking ball the red-and-white game on the 21st. On the 20th, he gave up his day off from the Miyazaki camp to play catch ball with Hajime Sato. I'm going to pitch tomorrow (21st), so I don't want to be lazy. I'm not sure what the outcome will be, but I'm going to do it," he said.

He has been focusing on "straight pitches" in this training camp, throwing 350 pitches, all straight, on the first day. During the live BP (batting practice in a game-like setting) on the 15th, he told hitter in advance to "only throw straight pitches." On the 21st, he declared, "I think it will be difficult to pitch (because they're on my team), but I hope I can throw a variety of pitches well to a certain extent." During the season, he said, "Sometimes I think, 'Maybe I should try throwing it,' and sometimes I think, 'Maybe I shouldn't throw it.' I'll keep them confused (laughs)," hinting at the "opening up" of the knuckleball he showed off at last year's All-Star Game.

The right-handed hitter is in his second year after transferring to the team and is aiming to be the opening pitcher for the second time since 2014 when he was with Hiroshima. "I don't have a particularly fast ball, nor do I have any outstanding breaking ball. I just want to face each batter individually and do my best," he said, remaining firm in his belief and steadily improving his condition.