Aren Kuri has been selected as the opening pitcher for Hiroshima's professional baseball team this season. Pitcher Kuri is his first opening pitcher in his 11th year as a professional.
Pitcher Guri was the only pitcher on the team last season who remained in the starting rotation from the start, pitching 174 and one-third of the innings, the most in both leagues, with a record of 8 wins, 8 losses, and an ERA of 2.53, and was stable throughout the season. He showed great pitching.
For this season, he has set his goal to become the opening pitcher for the first time since the off-season, saying, ``I want to be able to pitch as an opening pitcher,'' and he is trying a new pitching form that narrows the width of his foot in order to throw a more powerful ball. He has been in the bullpen since the first day of camp and has been energetically making adjustments.
According to team officials, manager Takahiro Arai informed Arai on February 16th at the team's camp site in Okinawa City, Okinawa Prefecture that he would entrust Kuri to be the opening pitcher for this season.
Hiroshima's pitcher Daichi Osera, who served as the opening pitcher for five consecutive years until last year, underwent surgery on his right elbow in October last year, so his adjustment has been made at a slower pace than usual. The pitcher will play a major role for the first time in his 11th year as a professional.
Hiroshima's opening game will be March 29th against DeNA at Yokohama Stadium.