Orix Buffaloes pitcher Soichiro Yamazaki is opening up new horizons with a "new slider" he acquired midway through this season.

"There are still times when I have good feel and times when I don't, but it's a ball I can use. I think it will increase even more in the future." On August 14, in the Nippon-Ham game (Kyocera Dome), Yamazaki, who won his third game of the season as reliever, looked back on the pitch with a confident expression.

He took the mound in the 8th inning with the score tied 2-2. He allowed hit with two outs, but managed to get out of the inning without giving up any runs, which motivated his teammates' offense to rally in the bottom of the inning and earn him the win. This was the fourth game of a six-game series played without a rest day, a must-win game for the team's chances of advancing to the Climax Series. Moreover, with Ren Mukunoki, who had been in pitcher of the 8th inning, removed from the roster due to an upper body injury, he admirably fulfilled his role as the setup man.

He's been working on the new slider for about three months. "It was an idea. I changed my grip on it, and the way it breaks is completely different from my previous slider. I tried it out in catch practice and in bullpen, and it was approved, so I started using it recently. It has a pretty unique break," he said.

In the game against Nippon-Ham on the 14th, Yamazaki got ahead of the leadoff batter, Reyes, with just two pitches, then threw two more consecutive pitches. They were both balls, and the fifth pitch was also a miss, making it a full count, but he finally struck struck out looking with a 155km fastball low and outside. "I was scared to throw it to Reyes, but it's a pitch that can be a weapon if it works, so I threw it," Yamazaki said. Even though it was a ball, it seemed to have the effect of changing hitter 's perspective.

There were some errant pitches. The one he allowed to batter Yuya Gunji with two outs was slider. "If you ask me if it's higher in the pecking order than fork, I'd say not quite. I want to raise it to that level," he said, seeking further precision.

In 2023, he appeared in 53 games, recording 1 win, 1 loss, and 27 hold, contributing to the team's third consecutive championship. After that, he struggled with upper body conditioning issues and inconsistencies in his pitching form, which hindered his progress. This season, although he had some elbow problems in the first half, he has maintained good form, appearing in situations where his team is behind or tied, and even pitching multiple innings. "My elbow is in great condition, and I can throw without any problems with my shoulder. My body is in good condition, so I feel good," he said with a bright expression.

After two consecutive pitches, he was on the bench on the 15th. "(In a close battle until mid-inning) I had a chance to play. Mukk (Mukugi) was missing, and there were few games left. I can also pitch three consecutive games." In the Seibu Lions game on the 19th (Belluna Dome), he came in from the 8th inning with the score tied 2-1. hitter retired three batters with 8 pitches, marking a season-high 159 km/h. His strong fastball returned, and he was able to control fork again. He expanded his pitch with new weapons and made his mound lively.

Interview and text by Masaki Kitano