Kazuya Kojima reaches 1,000 career innings milestone

Chiba Lotte Marines pitcher Kazuya Kojima has maintained strong performance following the All-Star break, recording quality starts in his last three outings. During his recent fifth win against Rakuten, Kojima demonstrated tactical flexibility by adjusting his pitch selection when his fastball was not hitting its intended spots.

Kojima expressed satisfaction with his current command of the forkball, changeup, and cutter, noting that the cutter has become a significant strength. However, he remains focused on refining his slider to improve his ability to pitch inside to right-handed batters.

Having recently reached the milestone of 1,000 career innings pitched during a game against the Seibu Lions, Kojima expressed gratitude toward his family, trainers, and coaching staff. Despite his veteran role in leading the starting rotation, he maintains a growth mindset, stating he still feels he can improve and setting a long-term goal of reaching 2,000 innings.