Rakuten Eagles 's manager, Masato Yoshii, summarized the first half of the season by the 28th and spoke about his aspirations for the second half.

The first half of the season ended on the 26th, leaving the team in last place with a deficit of 18 games. However, since manager Yoshii took over, the team has shown signs of improvement with a record of 13 wins and 14 losses. The manager nodded quietly and said, "Everyone is doing well. I think the results so far have been good."

His appointment as manager mid-season was unusual. He began managing the team on June 19th, and a month has now passed. "I tried to approach it without any preconceived notions, so it doesn't feel like I've come in mid-season. The team was in debt when I arrived, but I didn't think about it too much; I just approached it with the feeling that I was starting from there," he reflects.

Every day, they strive to climb the ranks while also developing young players. "We want to climb standings somehow, and at the same time, we want to nurture young players," he says. There are some things that concern him when he interacts with the players and watches them play. "When I look at the players, especially the younger ones, I get the feeling that they haven't sorted out what they can do and what they can't do. I want each player to think about that carefully from now on and do what they can in the matches," he urged.

The team has been making a series of minor mistakes. In the game against Nippon-Ham on the 25th, Murabayashi, who was the runner on first base, took off but was late returning to the base on a foul fly ball and was called out. "Even if it's stolen base, you have to watch the moment the batter makes contact. I want to create a team of players who can do things like that without being told. Even a player with as much experience as Murabayashi is still not able to do that on this team. It's not just his problem, so I want the team to become one that can do those things more naturally," he said.

In relief, young players like Kutani, Tai, and Nakagomi are being used in situations where the team is leading by a narrow margin. The goal is to let them experience tough situations and encourage their growth. "I think they're being called upon to pitch in situations they've never experienced before, but whether they succeed or fail, it's a good experience for them right now. Tai (on the 26th) must have learned something from his failure, so I want to give them lots of opportunities like that so they can grow," he said, expressing his expectations.

At his inaugural press conference, the manager repeatedly emphasized the importance of a winning mentality. "Everyone has a strong desire not to lose, and there are many players who want to experience the atmosphere of competing for the championship, so I'm confident about that," he said happily. The second half of the season begins on the 31st. Together with their passionate manager, they will aim to rise to the top.