Lotte's Tokito Kawamura, who is aiming to be in the starting rotation for the opening game, has pitched five innings in two external games so far, closer only one runs.

Kawamura returned to the mound for the first time in three years last season, pitching 21 innings in four games, finishing with a 2-1 record and a 2.57 ERA. In his final appearance of the season against Nippon-Ham on September 22nd, Kawamura said, "I think I was able to control all of my pitches well," pitching a full slate of fastball, slider, cutter, curveballs, and fork from the start, closer The Fighters batting line to no hits until the fifth inning with two outs and the score at 2-0. He pitched a career-long seven innings, throwing 108 pitches, hit out five strike out, and earning a runs win for his second time since turning pro.

Especially in the second at bat in the 4th inning, Kotaro Kiyomiya was set down by three struck out pitches with a curve, fork, fork and breaking ball attack, and in the 7th inning, "I think breaking ball was in my head, and I thought fork must have been in my head in the way I drove him in before that, so I took it straight." It was brilliant to get behind the opponent and miss fastball, and then take struck out.

He has entered the offseason having somewhat established a pitch style that will carry over to this season. Last year, he trained independently at Driveline in the US with Yuji Nishino and others, analyzing his movements and improving his form in order to increase the speed of fastball, and this offseason he continued to focus on the strength of fastball, saying, "I went to the US again this year and focused on pitching speed."

During his voluntary training, he said he discussed pitching with Nishino and others, saying, "We talked about various things like how to use him, and I think we'll find out after he pitches."

During the Miyakonojo spring training camp in February, he entered bullpen for the first time on the 2nd and pitched in a live BP on the 7th. He threw a total of 20 pitches to Akito Takabe and Kyota Fujiwara, closer the number of hit hits to just two. Throwing to hitter for the first time this year, he reflected, "I threw strike for the first time, and considering the cold weather, I think I can give myself a passing grade. I wanted to throw a stronger pitch, but I think I'll improve from here."

Ahead of the exhibition games, he expressed his determination, saying, "Of course, I think I'm being considered as a starter, so I don't want to fall apart with Walk. I want to be able to show what I've been working on. I want to be able to throw a strong fastball." He made his first appearance in an exhibition game of the season on February 14 against DeNA, runs one run in two innings, and then closer the opponent runs for three innings in a practice game against Hanwha of South Korea on February 22.

This season, he has set a goal of "getting into the starting rotation and pitching long inning." In order to pitch long inning, he said, "Last year, I didn't have much power in my pitches, so I ended up pitching to the corners. If I can throw stronger pitches, I think I'll be able to throw more roughly, so first I want to focus on that strength, throwing fastball so that they turn into fouls."

The competition is fierce, but if he achieves results, he should have more opportunities to pitch as a starter than last season. He uses his powerful fastball and breaking ball to outsmart hitter with pitch, and this season he will throw even 1 inning longer.

Interview and text by Yuta Iwashita