Takayuki Kato, the starting pitcher for the game against Rakuten Eagles on the 25th (at Escon Stadium), made his final adjustments on the 24th at his home stadium, including catch practice and short sprints.

The left-handed pitcher, who has already tied his personal best with 10 wins and is leading the league in win, is currently on an eight-game winning streak, including five consecutive win since June 10th. He will be aiming for a career-high 11th win in his final start of the first half of the season. "I didn't expect to pitch this much in the first half, and I'm grateful that I've been given the opportunity to pitch, so I'm really thankful for that. There's one more game left in the first half, so I'll do my best to get a win," he said enthusiastically.

On this day, his alma mater, Takudai Koryo, achieved a resounding victory in the Chiba prefectural tournament semi-finals, winning by a mercy rule in the seventh inning. "I think they're strong now that they've come this far, so I hope they do their best," he said, expressing his expectations for his alma mater, which will advance to the final against Senshu Matsudo on the 26th.