Rakuten Eagles pitcher Soji Yasumasa (25) is set to start against the Orix Buffaloes on the 12th (at Hirosaki). On the 11th, he participated in the starting pitcher practice held in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. The right-hander, who adjusted through activities like catch ball, expressed his enthusiasm: “This is my first time in Aomori, so I’m really looking forward to it. I hope many fans will come to watch, so I want to give my best and show a solid performance.”
So far this season, he has appeared in six games, posting a 4-2 record with a 2.93 ERA, tied for the most wins in the Pacific League. He spoke strongly: “To help the team aim higher, we have to win. I’m ready to take responsibility for the game and keep pitching until I get the win.”
After 36 games, the team currently sits in fifth place with a deficit of five games and a four-game losing streak. Regarding the matchup against league-leading Orix, he said cautiously: “They’re at the top and playing with a strong winning style. I want to stick to the basics—without changing the fundamentals of my pitching.”
In last year’s Tohoku Series (playing across all six prefectures in the region), the team lost three straight in Iwate, Fukushima, and Yamagata. In the fourth game at Aomori (Hirosaki), they managed a win, but fell in the fifth game at Akita.
