Softbank Hawks 's Otsu is aiming for the Interleague MVP award. He is scheduled to start in the game against Hanshin Tigers on the 9th (at Mizuho PayPay Dome). He participated in pitcher practice at his home stadium and made his final adjustments, saying, "At worst, I'll give up two runs in seven innings. I just want to be able to pitch a decent game."

This season, he has appeared in two interleague games, pitching a total of 16 innings, with two wins and ERA of 0.00. The last pitcher to win the Most Valuable Player award was Yoshinobu Yamamoto (currently with the Dodgers) in 2021, who pitched a total of 22 innings, with three wins and ERA of 1.23. He has plenty of chances, but he says, "It's not something you aim for, so I don't particularly think about it," and he pitches in a relaxed manner.