Seibu Lions outfielder Takuya Hiruma (25) attended the club office in Tokorozawa, Saitama on the 4th to renew his contract, signing a contract for an annual salary of 19 million yen, a 5 million yen reduction (estimated amount).

He joined the team as the first pick in the 2022 draft and in his third year as a pro, he played in just 12 games, his lowest total to date, and hit no Home Run for the first time in his third year. With a batting average of .176, he has not played in a first-division game since the game against Hanshin Tigers on June 11th (Belluna D), and he commented, "To be honest, I think I lost sight of myself in some ways, and I worked on a lot of different things to get better, but...I really just wandered around. It was a disappointing year."

Looking ahead to next season, which will be a crucial one, he said, "I am aware that I have to do my best since I was drafted first, and I also feel frustrated that I am not living up to the voices of the fans.I think my batting is the most important thing, so I hope I can make an impression there."