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

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.