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.”