Seibu Lions Face 100 Losses as Pitching Woes Linked to Takahashi and Yoza’s 7 kg Weight Gain

The Seibu Lions, based at the hottest stadium among the 12 teams, Belluna Dome, are struggling with continuous losses. As of the end of 84 games, they have 26 wins and 57 losses, with a winning percentage of .313 and a deficit of 31 games. They are 14.5 games behind the 5th-place Orix, and a “season 100 losses” is a real concern, a situation not seen since Kintetsu in 1961.

After the game against Orix on May 26, manager Kazuo Matsui (48) was effectively dismissed, and GM Hisashi Watanabe (58) was appointed as interim manager. However, the team’s performance has worsened.

• Manager Matsui: 45 games, 15 wins, 30 losses, winning percentage .333
• Interim Manager Watanabe: 39 games, 11 wins, 27 losses, 1 draw, winning percentage .282

“I believe it will be a very tough season and challenging battle, but I am committed to giving my all in my professional baseball career to ensure that the team, united as one, meets the fans’ expectations.”

Interim Manager and GM Watanabe made this statement at his inauguration press conference, but rebuilding the team is a challenging journey. 

The primary issue is the team’s league-worst batting average of .205 (compared to Orix’s .243, which is 5th in the league). Although poor hitting was somewhat anticipated before the season, the real disappointment has been the pitching staff, which was expected to be among the best but has instead underperformed, with a team ERA of 3.19 (as of the 14th), ranking 5th in the league.

Key pitchers who were expected to contribute significantly, such as Kaino (27), who was a setup man at the start of the season but was sidelined on April 24 due to right elbow discomfort, and starter Hirara Hiruma (24), who was placed on the disabled list on May 9 with right forearm tightness, have been missing.

Filling the gaps left by these players is crucial, but the biggest disappointment has been ace Takahashi Mitsunari (27). After recording double-digit wins for three consecutive years starting in 2021, he had hoped to move to Major League Baseball through the posting system last off-season. However, he missed the start of the season due to right shoulder tightness during spring training and failed to make the opening rotation. He made his season debut on April 14 against SoftBank but has since struggled, recording an opening record of 8 consecutive losses and a 4.42 ERA before being demoted to the farm team on June 24.

His slider, a key pitch, has lost its sharpness, and his weight gain has been cited as a possible cause. His weight increased from 105 kg last year to 112 kg before the season started, and he has struggled to transfer his increased body mass effectively into his pitching. This issue was evident in his performance on May 31 against the Giants, where he was knocked out after giving up 3 runs in 4 innings.

“My condition wasn’t bad, but I wasn’t able to properly adjust on the mound.”

Another Seibu pitcher in a similar situation is Yoza Kaito (28), who trained alongside Takahashi. In his 5th year in 2022, Yoza recorded his first 10-win season, but last year he ended with 2 wins and 6 losses. The change to jersey number 15 in the off-season indicated renewed expectations.

 

Like Takahashi, Yoza increased his weight by 7 kg to 87 kg for spring training but failed to make the opening roster and started the season in the farm team. He was called up for the first time this season on May 18, but after four games with a 3.38 ERA, he was demoted again on June 8, unable to perform as expected.

 

On May 22, Yoza discussed the impact of his 7 kg weight gain.

 

“I didn’t feel much of the extra weight, but the reduced range of motion made movement a bit difficult. This is partly due to my lack of maintenance, but these drawbacks have affected my results. Now, I’ve reduced my weight from the previous level to improve my mobility.” 

Recently, players like Takahashi and Yoza have been rapidly increasing their weight during the off-season. The reason is that “kinetic energy = mass × acceleration.” In other words, if a larger body can move quickly toward the home plate, it can throw stronger pitches.

However, rapidly increasing weight carries risks, as noted by two experts.

The first is Tadahiro Ogino, who was a closer for Lotte in the late 2000s and now serves as a pitching coach for JFE East Japan in corporate baseball.

“I have seen many players who rapidly increase their body size and then struggle to handle their own bodies effectively. For example, a batter might suddenly miss the ball completely, or a pitcher who was once precise may lose control. It’s similar to how growing children can become clumsy when they experience a sudden growth spurt. It shows that humans cannot easily adapt to rapid changes in their bodies.”

At JFE East Japan, there is a rule that limits weight changes to within 1% per month. Ogino explains that rapidly increasing body size, as currently popular, only raises the risk of injury. Instead of seeking quick results from training, it is important to maintain steady progress.

Meanwhile, Yasuaki Okawa, a lecturer at the Teikyo University Sports Medicine Center and a specialist in motion analysis, also shares his insights.

“There are people who can handle rapid weight gain well, and others who cannot. What’s important is body image, how you perceive your own body.”

For example, if you draw a line on the floor where your heels are while standing, and then lie down, the position of your head should match your expectations. If it does, your body image is clear; if it doesn’t, it’s unclear. If you have a clear body image, you can still move effectively even if your body size increases, but if not, your ability to control your body diminishes.

In the latter case, rapid weight gain can risk impairing your performance.

In the case of a hitter, if his arms are heavier by, say, 2 kg out of the 7 kg he has gained, he “If, for example, a batter gains 7 kg and 2 kg of that weight is in their arms, they will have to hit with those heavier arms. This means their sense of movement will differ from before. If the increase in body size exceeds the limits of their body image, it means they are not moving as they expect, so excessive weight gain is not ideal. Conversely, if they can still move as desired within their capacity despite the weight gain, it’s not a problem. The extent of weight gain should depend on the individual’s capacity.”

If a player cannot handle their increased body size effectively, their performance will decline. Rapid weight gain changes sensory perception and carries such risks.

The Seibu Lions, suffering from historic losses, are currently struggling due to a shortage of starting pitchers. With Takahashi and Yoza in indefinite farm team adjustments, they could potentially become the saviors in avoiding the dishonorable season 100 losses.

Restoring a disrupted sense of movement won’t be easy, but given their proven track records, a recovery is crucial for the second half of the season.