Seibu Lions pitcher Chihiro Sumida entered the bullpen on the 8th for the first time since injuring his left forearm. He expressed confidence in his steady recovery, saying, 'I think it is a great step forward.'

On September 28th, during a game against the Rakuten Eagles (Belluna Dome), a batted ball struck his left forearm. After waiting for the internal bleeding and swelling to subside, he performed a catch at a distance of about 40 meters on the 4th.

On this day, based on the decision that it was 'time to try the slope,' he entered the bullpen and practiced his pitch at about 20% power. Regarding the condition of the affected area, he said, 'It doesn't hurt, but I feel a bit of heaviness. The sensation isn't bad, but I feel like I can't throw without taking it step by step.' As for the next stage, he envisions pitching practice with the catcher fully in a crouching position.

The Climax Series (CS) will open on the 10th. Regarding his start in the second game of the first stage on the 11th, he said, "Of course," and plans to continue making adjustments to stay on target.