The Japan National Baseball Team of the Tokyo Olympics will make adjustments at the stadium in Tokyo for the quarterfinals with the United States on the 2nd, and starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka said, "I've finally come to my turn, so I want to do my best." I talked about enthusiasm.
The final tournament of Olympic baseball will start on the 1st, and Japan, which passed Group A first in the qualifying league, will face the United States, which was first in Group B, in the quarterfinals from 7:00 pm on the 2nd.
The players practiced at the stadium in Ota Ward, Tokyo for about an hour and a half from 5:30 pm on the 1st, and Atsunori Inaba revealed that pitcher Tanaka will be the starting pitcher in the match on the 2nd.
Director Inaba said, "Japanese baseball fans are getting a lot of attention and they are expected from the team, but I hope they can pitch themselves."
Pitcher Tanaka, who will be the first pitcher in this tournament, adjusted at his own pace by running alone in the outfield and playing catch with changing balls.
Pitcher Tanaka said, "It's finally time for me to come in. I'm fighting with the country on my back, so I want to do my best. I want to believe that I've come and go up to the mound."
In addition, pitcher Tanaka, who had been playing in the Major League Baseball Yankees for seven years until last season, said about playing against the United States, "There are players who were teammates in both pitchers and fielders, but I am not in a situation to enjoy the match. I want to do the work one by one to suppress the problem, "he quietly burned his fighting spirit.