On the 22nd, Lotte announced that Yuto Unozawa, who joined the Chiba Lotte Zozo Marine Stadium through the "TEAMMATES" project run by the certified NPO Being ALIVE Japan (BAJ), will throw the ceremonial first pitch at the game against Nippon-Ham on September 27th (at Chiba Lotte Marines game start time 6:00 PM) as part of the social contribution project "MARINES LINKS."
During pre-match practice, he will also provide support for practice by passing knocking balls and picking up balls. This will be the seventh time that Unozawa has participated in the "TEAMMATES" project, and the first pitch will be thrown before the match, at around 5:56 pm.
The "TEAMMATES" project, planned and operated by BAJ, supports the independence of children who require long-term treatment and the creation of a community. The Marines are the first professional baseball team to participate in this project, and this year marks their fourth time. In addition, MARINES LINKS is a social contribution project in which the team supports social contribution activities led by The Marines players together with partner companies, and has been working with partner company Links Build Co., Ltd. since 2022.
▼ Comment from Yuto Unozawa
"I have been practicing and adjusting my game, receiving advice from many players and people involved, in preparation for my goal of throwing the first pitch. I want to enjoy this dreamlike time and throw the first pitch with gratitude to everyone who has supported me until now."
