Softbank Hawks catcher Takashi Umino held contract renewal negotiations at the team office inside Mizuho PayPay on the 6th and signed a contract for an annual salary of 55 million yen, an increase of 29 million yen.

This season, his sixth year as a pro, he took over as the starting catcher for Kai, who moved to The Giants as a free agent last offseason, and played in a career-high 105 games, batting .220 with 0 Home Run and 21 RBI. He led the pitcher, who had the best ERA in the league, to the No. 1 spot in Japan. "I was able to really feel that I had fought through the whole year," he said, exuding a sense of fulfillment after receiving a pay raise that more than doubled. "There are a lot of good catcher, so I want to win, get into the starting starting line-up for the opening game, and play in over 100 games (as a starter). This year, I wasn't worried about winning titles or anything, but I would like to win the Golden Glove Award. That's what I want to aim for as I go."