Ryoji Kuribayashi Embraces the Heat: “I’m a Summer Guy, So I Haven’t Felt Hot Yet”

Hiroshima Carp pitcher Ryoji Kuribayashi appears to be built for summer baseball.

Despite the intense heat of the Japanese summer, Kuribayashi says he has yet to feel particularly affected by the temperature.

“I’m a summer guy, so I’m good with the heat. There hasn’t been a game yet where I thought, ‘It’s really hot.’”

The 30-year-old right-hander also says he has experienced no noticeable fatigue.

Even during his July appearances, the weather did not bother him much. His July 25 outing against the Yakult Swallows at Jingu Stadium was played in rain and wind, while his July 18 appearance against the Hanshin Tigers at Mazda Stadium also did not feel particularly hot to him.

His ability to handle the conditions appears to extend beyond his pitching.

Kuribayashi says his appetite has remained normal throughout the summer, and his weight has remained stable.

“My appetite hasn't decreased, and my weight hasn't really changed.”

He says the same was true when he was working as a reliever.

The Carp installed air conditioning in the bullpen at their home stadium this season, but Kuribayashi actually remembers feeling relatively comfortable even before the installation.

“Last season, there were even days when I felt cooler once I went out onto the mound.”

Interestingly, Kuribayashi believes that pitching without air conditioning may actually have helped him deal with temperature changes.

“I don't want to feel a big difference in temperature, so maybe the environment without air conditioning was actually good for me.”

Even this season, he has developed a simple routine to help his body adapt.

Before games, while it is still extremely hot, Kuribayashi deliberately goes out onto the field once and allows himself to experience the temperature.

“I go out onto the field once before the game when it's hot, so I can feel the temperature.”

That may seem counterintuitive, but for Kuribayashi, it is part of preparing his body for the conditions he will actually face during the game.

The approach appears to be working.

After moving from the bullpen into the starting rotation this season, Kuribayashi has emerged as one of Hiroshima's most reliable starters.

And while many players are simply trying to survive the Japanese summer, Kuribayashi seems perfectly comfortable in it.

For Hiroshima's “summer guy,” the heat isn't an obstacle—it might actually be an advantage.