Ambassador Goro Okajima of Rakuten Eagles, who retired at the end of last season, expressed his hopes for Kogo's turnaround on April 6. He played for Rakuten Eagles for 14 years until last season and became an ambassador this season. When asked which player is his favorite as an ambassador, he revealed, "I expect Kogo to come back.

Kogo played every game in 24 years, ranking second in the league in hit numbers. Last season, however, he slumped to a .173 batting average and 2 Home Run and even dropped to the second team. In the team's rise to prominence, number 51 is one of the key players. Okajima said, "I think the team will change dramatically if he gets going. I hope that Kogo will make a comeback," he said.

On this day, Okajima visited Shiogama Shrine in Shiogama City, Miyagi Prefecture, with team president Morii and others. He wrote "Win!" on the votive tablet. After completing his first job, Okajima revealed his thoughts, saying, "No matter what position I'm in, the happiest thing is for Rakuten Eagles to win," and expressed his determination, saying, "I believe that winning brings smiles to the faces of everyone in Tohoku, so I want to do as much support as I can to help the players win games."