Hiroshima Carp’s Daichi Ōsera Targets His 2018 Championship-Winning Form: Aiming to Return to 95 kg and Average Nearly 150 km/h as a Starter

Hiroshima Carp right-hander Daichi Ōsera, 35, revealed on October 20 that he is concentrating on physical development this offseason as he prepares for his 14th professional season. His goal is to regain the physical condition he had in 2018, when he won both the Central League’s wins title and winning percentage title. The veteran has been pushing himself through demanding workouts, enduring intense muscle soreness as he works toward another stage of his career.

Despite the pain running through his body, Ōsera smiled and said, “I don't dislike it. I'm enjoying it.”

He has no intention of stopping his development.

“I want to improve the strength of my pitches, my overall power output and my velocity, just as I did after returning to relief work. Even while pitching this season, I felt there were still areas where I could improve,” he said, expressing both confidence and determination ahead of next year.

A late-season breakthrough in the bullpen

Ōsera's 2026 season got off to a difficult start. He suffered a muscle injury in his right calf in March and was sidelined. After returning to the first team in mid-April, he made two starts but struggled to produce results and was subsequently sent down.

In late August, he returned to the first team as a reliever. Relying on a fastball that exceeded 150 km/h at its fastest, he recorded eight consecutive scoreless appearances and finished with three wins and six holds.

“Honestly, when I was starting, I never imagined I could pitch like this at my age,” he said.

The closing stretch of the season gave him a fresh perspective on his own potential.

After undergoing right elbow surgery in 2020, Ōsera had reduced his body weight to lessen the strain on his joints. However, the results he achieved while throwing with greater power out of the bullpen this season changed his thinking.

“I saw a different version of myself, so I thought I'd challenge myself again.”

With the aim of returning to full strength over an entire season, he has begun an intensive physical training program this offseason. His target is what he calls his “two-title physique” from 2018, when he weighed approximately 95 kg. He currently weighs around 90 kg and plans to regain the additional five kilograms.

Training alongside the younger players

Although Ōsera has been excused from the team's fall training sessions, he has been showing up at Mazda Stadium day after day to work on his physical conditioning. He is completing demanding workouts comparable to those assigned to the team's younger players.

“When I told them I was doing the same training program as the younger guys, they were absolutely shocked,” he said with a grin.

His workload demonstrates that he remains committed to laying the physical foundation for another step forward, regardless of his age or experience.

Targeting an average fastball velocity near 150 km/h

The primary purpose of gaining weight and building strength is to increase his average fastball velocity. Ōsera wants to approach an average of 150 km/h as a starter, matching the level of velocity he demonstrated in relief appearances.

“I was able to reach around 153 km/h in the farm team, but my pitches at 148–150 km/h in the first team actually had better numbers, including spin rate, and generated a higher whiff rate,” he explained.

Rather than pursuing velocity alone, he is focused on improving both speed and pitch quality. He hopes that combination will allow him to become a more effective pitcher, whether he returns to the starting rotation or remains in the bullpen.

“I'm happy and excited that there are still things I can do to address the areas where I have room to grow. I want to complete a demanding training program and be fully prepared for either role, whether as a starter or a reliever,” Ōsera said.

Driven by an enduring desire to improve, the veteran right-hander is determined to keep pushing his body and discover just how much further he can go.