◆ Pacific League Rakuten Eagles Seibu Lions (25th, Rakuten Eagles Mobile Saikyo Park Miyagi)

Rakuten Eagles Kenta Maeda pitcher pitched seven innings, allowing 3 and no , to earn his long-awaited first win of the season in his seventh appearance. This was his first win in the NPB in 3,919 days, since the game against on October 2, 2015 (at Mazda Stadium). hit runs win Chunichi

He pitched a season-high 7 inning, throwing a season-high 114 pitches while hit only 3 hits. He was wiping away large drops of sweat as he pitch, but the words "KSKRKRS 18 You are Kenta Maeda" were written in marker on the brim of his cap.

After the match, Ken Maeda revealed that the seven letters "KSKRKRS," which he has been writing for a long time, are an acronym of the initials of his family and his beloved dog.

Then, when asked about "You—", he gave a wry smile and said, "You figured it out, I really didn't want to say it," as he tried to recall the details.

He says those words were given to him by a pitcher coach he was indebted to during his time with the Twins from 2020 to 2023.

"When I transferred from the Dodgers, I was told I would be competing as starter again, and the pitching coach would constantly talk to me before each game. He would say, 'Be confident that you are Kenta Maeda.' There were times when I was frustrated, like when I was relegated to relief pitching during my time with the Dodgers, but when I went to the Twins, they told me to 'believe in yourself more,' and I was able to finish second in the Cy Young Award voting." In 2020, a shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the right-hander remembered who he was and posted an excellent record of 6 wins and 1 loss ERA of 2.70.

He came to Rakuten Eagles with high expectations, but about three months had passed since the start of the season without him securing a win. "I was starting to doubt whether I would ever be able to win." That's when he remembered the words he had heard so many times before.

"I decided to believe in myself and go up to mound. From there, I was able to regain my true self." He had been doubting himself, thinking that if he threw a pitch that was too easy, he would get hit, and he was falling behind in the count. In order to throw the pitches catcher wanted, he decided to first believe in his own strength and experience. At the start of inning, he looks at his cap and engraves it in his heart.

"I feel like I've been making progress little by little." Every time I throw, I hear that voice right next to my ear.