On the 30th, Nippon-Ham pitcher Nao Miyanishi (41) wrote about his determination regarding his first promotion to the top team this season in his serialized column "Yuo Maishin" (Pushing Forward). Having been promoted on the 14th, he has recorded an ERA of 4.50 over four appearances. He expressed his confidence in his new pitch, the cutter, which he felt during his second game against the Softbank Hawks on the 18th (at Es Con Field), and shared his resolve to serve as a "catalyst" for a comeback league title and becoming the best in Japan.

I was able to return to the first-team mound for the first time in about five months. The tension and pressure that can only be experienced in the first team are exceptional, and lately, I am overcome by sleepiness as soon as I get home after finishing my treatment and meals. I think it shows just how much my mind and body are feeling a fulfilling sense of fatigue. During my first appearance on the 15th (against the Orix Buffaloes at Kyocera Dome), I naturally tensed up, and on the mound, I kept telling myself to "Calm down. Calm down," as if I were fighting against myself. After the game, Manager Shinjo told me to "Enjoy yourself and pitch relaxed," and with each appearance, I have been able to pitch with more composure.

In that context, in the game against the Softbank Hawks on the 18th, I felt a certain level of confidence in the cutter, a new pitch I've been working on seriously since this season. First of all, it was significant that I was able to face some of the league's best power hitters, such as Kondo and Yanagita, and see their reactions to the cutter. Furthermore, the fact that I was able to throw off the opponent's timing with my fastball as a result was a great takeaway.

Velocity isn't everything, but by having a cutter around 135 km/h, I can make a fastball in the low 140s look faster than it actually is. You might think it's just a 5 km/h difference, but this slight margin is crucial, and I hope to compete using "techniques" to disrupt the hitter's timing or miss the sweet spot of the bat.

If I can master the cutter in addition to my existing finishing pitches, the slider and change-up, I felt hopeful that I could still compete in the first team. For a reliever, a single pitch can decide the game. Unless I can take full responsibility for that one pitch, I can't say I've mastered it. In my few remaining appearances, I want to refine the finer details.

As a team, the possibility of winning the league and becoming the best in Japan still remains. I feel that a 'catalyst' to accelerate the team's momentum is necessary for a come-from-behind championship. As was the case in 2016 when we became the best in Japan, whenever a team wins, key players or 'lucky boys' emerge, regardless of whether they are young players or veterans. Fortunately, I am physically healthy. It would be ideal if I could be the final piece of the puzzle—someone who can steady the team and change the momentum in crucial moments.

Ultimately, the most important thing is the results. With only a limited number of games remaining, I have returned to the first team with the resolve that if I don't succeed now, it's the end. I've challenged myself with a new pitch and have the confidence that I've done everything I needed to do. I'm feeling pressure like never before, but if I let fear get to me, I've already lost. I want to show the fans that I will continue to fight and keep challenging myself until the very end. (Naoki Miyanishi)