Orix Buffaloes infielder Kotaro Kobayashi, in his seventh year out of high school, is heading into the second half of the season hoping to improve his skills before his close friend, pitcher Hiroya Miyagi, who is recovering from Tommy John (TJ) surgery, returns to the team.

"Every day I'm fighting my own battles and I'm doing my best just to keep up, but I want to improve my level by the time he comes back." Kurebayashi is fighting through this summer without Miyagi with a positive attitude.

They were drafted in the same year, 2019. Miyagi (Okinawa, Konan High School), who was the first pick, and Kurebayashi (Shizuoka, Suruga Sogo High School), who was the second pick, were close friends from the start. Both played an active role as first-team players from their second year, and were known as the "Miyakure duo" by fans, supporting the team.

Miyagi, meanwhile, suffered a left elbow injury shortly after the start of the season and was sidelined. In May, he underwent Tommy John surgery in the United States and entered a year-long rehabilitation period. "It's been more than three months since he left, so I've gotten used to the sight of him not being there, but I've realized just how big a difference Miyagi's absence makes. He's our ace, and I've really felt how the team is affected when he's not there. His presence was enormous," said Kurebayashi.

I've come to realize once again how important it is to get through the season without injuries. "Not just in Miyagi, but there are a lot of pitcher pitchers, and I think everyone is feeling frustrated. The team is in a tough spot, so I feel fortunate to be able to play without injuries, and I think I just need to do what I can, not for everyone else, but for myself."

He says he keeps in touch with Miyagi frequently via LINE. "He seems really frustrated. It must be tough not being able to pitch for a whole year, and he must be wondering what's left of baseball player if you take baseball away from them. I also have tough times playing baseball. I make errors too. But I'm grateful just to be able to baseball, and seeing Miyagi makes me realize how fortunate I am to be able to struggle with baseball. I want to keep that feeling in mind and always give my all in everything I do," he reveals.

A year has passed since I seriously began to focus on how to use my body. I repeatedly practiced stretches and movements that would allow me to use each part of my body efficiently and translate that into power output. Even during the All-Star break, before team practice, I would jump off a box nearly a meter high and land on one leg to maintain my balance, and I would also repeat basic movements such as throwing a heavy ball called a medicine ball high into the air.

"My goal is to improve my flexibility and muscle strength. I'm seeing improvements numerically, and I'm also feeling that I'm getting better." Home Run on track to reach 20 home runs, and on July 23rd against Softbank Hawks (at Mizuho PayPay Stadium), he hit his 12th home run, a three-run shot that tied the game, setting a new career high. As of August 2nd, his slugging percentage is .419, and his OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) is .753, both higher than last season.

"It's tough when you're doing it, but I believe that if you keep doing the same thing, you'll definitely get results." Kurebayashi was called a "genius" by manager Mamoru Kishida when he was pitcher coach for the second team. Combining his innate talent with tireless effort, Kurebayashi continues to grow.

Interview and text by Masaki Kitano