Right-hander Kazuhisa Makita said Wednesday he aims to make the most of his submarine pitching in the majors when he moves to the San Diego Padres after seven seasons with the Seibu Lions.
"I'm relieved that I finally have a team," Makita told a press conference at the Nippon Professional Baseball club's office in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture, near Tokyo. "There are not many submarine pitchers, so I want to make full use of my advantage.
"The Padres are not an exceptionally strong team, but there are many young players, so it's a rewarding team to play for," said Makita, adding that the major league side is expecting to use him as a reliever.