Seibu Lions 's pitcher Natsuki Takeuchi will start in the game against Hiroshima on the 9th, aiming for his fifth win of the season.

Due to the rainy weather that day, he adjusted his training by throwing for about 15 minutes in bullpen and catch at the home team's indoor practice facility. Many players throw in bullpen two days before their scheduled start, but he said, "If I do that two days in advance, I tend to loosen up." He explained that after trying both two days and one day before his start since turning pro, he found that one day before suited him better.

Last year, in an interleague game against Hiroshima on June 8th (at Mazda Stadium), he gave up 9 hit 7 runs in 4 1/3 innings, leaving him with bitter memories. He cautioned, "Last year, I gave up a lot of hits and was stuck together a lot, and I don't want that to happen again."

As of the 7th, they are just one game behind Softbank Hawks who are leading the interleague series. Their first championship is within reach, and he said, "Of course, we're aiming for it." He himself is in good form, having won three consecutive games. With the support of the batting lineup, he said he feels confident in his team, saying, "I can pitch easily, or rather, I'm pitching with confidence."