It was revealed on the 10th that the Softbank Hawks will engage in Free Agent (FA) reinforcements for the first time in three years. The club, aiming to strengthen its starting rotation, has been monitoring the movements of players like Morishita, who exercised his domestic FA rights from Hiroshima. General Manager Mikasa stated, "In terms of what we are focusing on in the FA market, I think it will be starters," as they prepare for formal negotiations ahead.

Having achieved their third consecutive championship this season, Otsu, Yu Maeda, and Haru Matsumoto led the team with 12 wins each as starters. On the other hand, as seen with Moinelo's delayed start to the season due to poor physical condition, it was necessary to prepare for unforeseen circumstances. Morishita has a total of 60 wins over his seven-year professional career. Being from Oita, he is a local talent, and the fact that he has not suffered any major injuries is also an attractive point.

In addition to Morishita, attention is also on Takahashi, who exercised his international free agency rights from the Seibu Lions. He has recorded a total of 82 wins over his 12-year professional career, and this season he achieved a strong performance against the Softbank Hawks with 4 wins and 2 losses across 7 games, maintaining an ERA of 1.69. The last free agent acquisition was Yamakawa (from the Seibu Lions) in the 2023 offseason. The team will do everything possible to achieve their fourth consecutive league title and their third consecutive Japan Series championship.