[Nippon-Ham] Manager Tsuyoshi Shinjo tells Kitayama, who achieved his first double-digit win total of 10, "It's slow, it's slow, it's slow." Kitayama says, "I started out in a really low standings, so it's slow, but I think I'm doing pretty well." | Pacific League

[Nippon-Ham] Manager Tsuyoshi Shinjo said "Too slow, too slow, too slow" to Kitayama, who reached double-digit 10 wins for the first time. Kitayama said, "I entered at a standings like the bottom at first, so it's slow, but I think I'm doing quite well."

Sports Hochi

August 28, 2026 22:54

Starting pitcher Koki Kitayama (Camera: Shohei Kamimura)

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Nippon-Ham manager Tsuyoshi Shinjo had some demands for Kitayama, who earned his 10th win of the season after giving up four runs and being pulled in the middle of the seventh inning.

It was Kitayama's first double-digit win, his 10th of the season. Even so, Manager Shinjo said, "Too slow, too slow, too slow. He's a pitcher who could have reached 10 wins much earlier, and in order to become a pitcher who joins the race for the most wins in the future, I want him to learn how to use the inside of the plate more. Also, if he had a curveball to throw off the batter's eye level, I think his pitch count would decrease and his complete games would increase, so I'd like to look forward to that."

Kitayama, upon hearing the news, said, "I was drafted in the eighth round, which was a pretty low standings to start from, and I don't think I had many opportunities under normal circumstances, so I think I've done pretty well, even though it took me a while. I'm confident in that. I'm grateful to the manager for taking an interest in me and doing things for me these past five years, which has allowed me to become a starting pitcher with double-digit wins. I want to keep improving and build on this from here."