Seibu Lions pitcher Haima Taira, 26, has been named the Pacific League’s Pitcher of the Month for March and April, receiving the Daiju Seimei Monthly MVP Award. This marks his first such honor and the first for the team since Tatsuya Imai won in May 2025. In a historic achievement, Taira became the first pitcher to win the Monthly MVP immediately after switching from closer to starter in the following season, having led the league in saves the previous year.
“I think it’s a culmination of how I’ve valued each inning, even back when I was a reliever,” Taira said. “I want to continue delivering strong performances and contribute to the team. If titles or numbers come as a result of stacking up games one by one, that would be great.”
This season, Taira has started five games, compiling a 2-0 record with a 0.49 ERA. Over 37 innings, he has struck out 36 batters. Among Seibu’s former monthly MVP winners who were starters, his ERA ranks third behind Yusei Kikuchi’s 0.29 in September–October 2017 and Tai-Yuan Kuo’s 0.32 in April 1985.
“Winning and losing is just luck. What matters is being able to perform well. I don’t really focus on wins and losses,” Taira emphasized. “What I’m conscious of is reducing runs allowed and pitching deep into games, increasing the team’s chances to win. Whether a win or loss comes with it is down to luck, so I don’t dwell on it.”
Regarding his transition from closer to starter, Taira explained, “Last year, I wanted to increase my speed since I was starting. I focused a bit more on velocity, and I think that’s why my fastball is faster now than when I started in 2023.” He added, “Since I’m doing this, I’m aiming for the world’s fastest pitch. I’m always thinking about how to achieve that.”
On his current role, Taira said, “I’ve always wanted to be a starter. When I was a reliever, even after holding an inning, I felt something was missing. I thought I could pitch more. Now I’m doing what I wanted to do, and there’s a sense of joy in contributing to the team as a starter.”
Taira also has a strong focus on strikeouts. “There were games where I didn’t get many, so I want to increase that going forward,” he said. “My goal is to strike out every batter I face.”
