SMBC Japan Series 2026 Game 1 DeNA vs Softbank Hawks (24th, Yokohama)

Softbank Hawks pitcher Naoyuki Uwasawa was hit by a batted ball, causing a stir in the stadium.

He had continued a no-runs pitch until the 6th inning, but in the 7th, a line drive from DeNA's Kajiwara, the lead-off batter, hit his right thigh directly. The trainer rushed out in a panic, but he showed no signs of pain and continued to pitch after some practice pitches. However, the next batter, Mimori, hit another sharp pitcher-return for a center-field hit.

His control was unstable at the start. He hooked the first pitch two seam fastball to the lead-off batter Watarai, resulting in a Hit by Pitch to the back of the left thigh. Against the following batter Maki, the first pitch also slipped. With a count of 1-1, the ball broke through between third and short. Although he later faced a bases loaded crisis with one out, he escaped by getting Kajiwara to hit into a shortstop ground ball double play. In the second inning, he retired three batters in a row. In the third inning, he gave up a lead-off hit to pitcher Yutaro Ishida but did not allow him to advance. From the fourth inning onwards, he continued his tenacious pitch.

This season, he served as the opening day pitcher and recorded 10 wins (4 losses), marking double digits for the second consecutive year. As one of the 10-win quartet, he supported the team's third consecutive league title. In the CS Final Stage against Nippon-Ham, he pitched tenaciously in Game 2, allowing 2 runs in 6 innings, which led to a comeback win.

Last year, in his first Japan Series appearance during Game 2, although he gave up runs in the first inning, he held the line with minimal damage by recording 7 strike outs, including 4 in a row, and became the winning pitcher after allowing 1 run in 6 innings.