On the 29th, the Orix Buffaloes announced that they will dispatch pitcher Ryuga Sato, outfielder Yosuke Kubota, developmental pitcher Issei Watanabe, pitcher Taiga Uehara, infielder Sota Nakanishi, and batting coach Masakazu Fukukawa to the 2026 Asia Winter Baseball League (AWB) to be held in Taiwan.
He will participate as a member of the NPB Selection team. The event is scheduled to begin on November 14, with the semifinals held on December 5, and the final and third-place playoff on December 6.
![[Photo] A two-shot of Nozomi Sasaki and Kosei Yoshida: What's the reason for their sudden closeness?](https://hochi.news/images/2023/01/06/20230106-OHT1I51072-L.jpg)
![[DeNA] Team President Yota Kimura comments on reinforcements such as free agents: "We will appropriately strengthen the team with players who fit our squad through all available methods." After advancing to the Japan Series from third place in the league, the season ended with four consecutive losses.](https://hochi.news/images/2026/10/28/20261028-OHT1I51479-C.jpg)
![[Orix] Yusuke Mugitani, Ryoma Yamanaka and five other players sent to the Taiwan Winter League for a three-week training session](https://hochi.news/images/2025/11/06/20251106-OHT1I51114-L.jpg)
![[Hanshin Tigers] Sending third-year high school graduate Hidetoshi Ibaraki and rookie Taiyo Sano to the Taiwan Winter League](https://hochi.news/images/2025/10/31/20251031-OHT1I51239-L.jpg)
![[Miyazaki Phoenix League] Second-year developmental player Taiga Uehara pitches 3 scoreless innings; Orix Buffaloes lose final game](https://media.insight.pacificleague.com/webp/Z696cEISei0eW76ja8H7MOWTnUb7DNN7uosnrZgV.webp)
![[Miyazaki PL] Yosuke Kubota hits a go-ahead home run, but the Orix Buffaloes suffer a comeback loss](https://media.insight.pacificleague.com/webp/MyvWdK1a6sx8WCjKpjGnk3Iz0g12NjdsLmadHnUR.webp)
