Since returning to the first team on June 30, Kyota Fujiwara of the Lotte Marines has played in 18 games, recording a batting average of .288, Home Run, and 12 RBI. In his last 5 games, he has recorded multiple hit in 3 of them.

Fujiwara injured his right shoulder on May 10 during the game against the Softbank Hawks in the fifth inning defense and was diagnosed with a “anterior subluxation of the right shoulder joint.” He was removed from the first-team roster the following day. He made his return to competitive play on June 23 in a second-team game against the Chunichi, appeared in three games in the farm system, and returned to the first team on June 30.

In the Rakuten Eagles game on the same day, 'Leadoff center fielder,' he played starting line-up and recorded 4 At Bat 0 hit 1 Walk 3 struck out, but on July 1 he hit 2 Rakuten Eagles, and from Game Softbank Hawks on July 4 to Game Nippon-Ham on July 7, he recorded three consecutive hit and three consecutive RBI games, totaling 7 RBI during the period. On July 5, in Game Softbank Hawks, in the third inning with one out and runners on second and third, in his second at-bat with one out and runners on second and third, Haru Matsumoto threw the fourth pitch from a two-ball strike and fastball to the outside corner for a two-run doble hit wall to right-center for a timely two-run . On July 7, in Game Nippon-Ham, in the fourth inning with one out and runners on first and third, in his third at-bat, Shoma Kanemura threw his first pitch, 148 km/h, into the right-center stands for his fourth three-run homer.

Immediately after his promotion, he was getting a lot hit and extra-base hits early in count. In an interview on July 8, Fujiwara explained the reason for getting so many hit early in count, saying, "I can't hit the ball if I look at it, so I try to hit it as early as possible count." Regarding the fact that he's hitting a lot of balls with an angle, he revealed, "I'm consciously trying to pull the ball a little."

In an interview on March 14, he said, "Before I'm in a tough spot, I swing with the intention of hitting for extra bases." When asked if this was related to his performance, he replied, "Yes, I do. I try to aim for something a little bigger."

When asked if he felt his swing, which aims for extra-base hits, was working, he said, "I feel like it's starting to work, but pulling the ball is more difficult than hitting it to the opposite field, so I think it's easy to lose my rhythm. I want to keep adjusting to that."

On the other hand, as of July 7th, he had recorded 5 hit since being promoted back to the team, but only one of those hit to the opposite field. "That's where it all started, and I've built my batting from there, so I think if I can increase those kinds of hits, my batting will improve even more."

In the July 10 game against the Orix Buffaloes, with the score 3–4 in the fifth inning with no outs runner and no runners on base, Hiroshi stepped up to the plate for his third at-bat. Facing a 3-2 count strike, he hit an outside pitch—a 147-kilometer-per-hour fastball two seam fastball—back into left-center field hit.Furthermore, in his fourth at-bat in the sixth inning with the score tied 4–4 and one out bases loaded, he hit a game-winning RBI single to right field off the second pitch—an outside 144-kilometer-per-hour fastball—thrown by Ryusei Gonda with a 1-strike count. He went on to have a massive day, going 4-hit.

Hitting coach Kenta Kurihara commented, "When he first came up, he hadn't had many at-bats in actual games, so I was wondering how he would do against fastball, but I think he started to get the hang of it around the time he hit home run at PayPay Dome." He continued, "It's no good if you can't pull the ball even if you want to, so he's been consciously working on the timing in practice so that he can pull the ball. I think that's starting to show in games now."

On July 20, in the Softbank Hawks game, Fujiwara said, "We're on a losing streak, so I'm thinking we can get it up today, so I'm glad we were able to take the lead," and in his first at-bat with no runner outs in the first inning, Tomohisa Ozeki hit his fifth solo home run to right-center on the second pitch fastball thrown from the first pitch, and then on July 23, in the Rakuten Eagles game, In his first at-bat with no outs in the 0-0 inning runner and no outs, he doble the fastball of the first pitch thrown by Tatsuki Koja to right field, and in his third at-bat with a runner on first and no outs in the fifth inning, he hit a timely cutter doble to right-center on Kosha's second pitch, which Kosha threw off the first pitch.

◆ Batting average against left-handed pitcher: .395

Not only has he been hitting for power, but he's also been hitting well against left-handed pitcher like Ozeki and Koja this season. Last season, his batting average against lefty pitcher was .235, but this season, he's currently at .395, more than 10 points higher. When asked what the reason is for hitting pitcher pitcher he said, "There's no particular reason," but added, "Even if I didn't hit them well before, I didn't have any particular aversion to them, and I think I'm just able to let outside slider go by. It's not that big of a deal. I think it's just a coincidence."

　怪我から復帰してから1ヶ月経つが、現状のバッティングについては「良くない中で、頑張っているのかなと思います」とポツリ。具体的によくない部分について「調子は上がりきっていないが、実力は完全に上がってきている。基礎能力は上がってきているのかなと思います」と力を込めた。

Despite saying he wasn't doing well, since being recalled to the first team, he hasn't had a single game without hit, and even in games where he didn't get Walk, meaning he's only failed to get on base in 3 out of 18 games since returning to the first team. Looking at his season statistics, last season he had 33 Walk in 452 plate appearances, but this season he has already drawn 24 Walk in 235 plate appearances.

"I haven't had many at-bats yet, but I think I'm on a bit of a lucky streak. I think I'll settle down eventually, but for now I think my on-base percentage is close to 100%."

◆ Good results at Zozo Marine Stadium, a venue where I usually struggle.

In an interview on August 21st last year, he said, "The wind is strong at Marine Stadium, and each game is different, so it's difficult to put up good numbers." Last season, he had a batting average of .237, 2 Home Run, and 7 RBI at Zozo Marine Stadium, but this season, he has already surpassed last year's RBI with a batting average of .353, 4 Home Run RBI, and 20 Home Run at Zozo Marine Stadium.

Have they been preparing for this season by taking measures to counter their home stadium, Zozo Marine Stadium?

"If count gets worse before the point, it puts me at a disadvantage, so I try to finish it in one shot as early as possible. I make a conscious effort not to look at the ball."

Kyota Fujiwara continues to improve year after year. He himself shows confidence, saying, "I think everything is getting better." In addition to his individual performance, he is also expected to take on a leadership role for the team. "I am aware that I am becoming that kind of player, but I haven't been able to consistently produce results for many years yet. First, I want to work towards doing that for three, then five years." Summer is Fujiwara's strong season, as evidenced by his winning the Monthly MVP award for July and August in 2021. "I think my condition will continue to improve, so for now, I want to hit as much as I can." He intends to hit a lot this summer as well.

Interview and text by Yuta Iwashita