Nippon-Ham manager Tsuyoshi Shinjo (54) announced on the 4th that he will be giving outfielder Haruki Nishikawa (33) a major makeover. During tee batting before free batting practice, he gave direct instruction with gestures and demonstrations, accompanied by batting coach Yokoo. "He has been active for decades, but he hasn't been doing well for the last few years. So I told him that his form is no good, that batting style is no good. I watched him from the opposing dugout when he was with Rakuten Eagles, and I told him how I would have taught him, and when I had him bat, he changed dramatically," he said, and Nishikawa even hit a home run during free batting practice.

He gave advice to narrow his stance, saying, "He's the kind of batter you can push with your left calf. That's the way a long-distance hitter hits. His stance was a little wide, and I imagined him hitting the ball at a specific point. I made him narrow his stance extremely. He's a player with dexterous hands, so he's been able to use his rotation to catch the ball with his hands, and there have been several good hits where he could have hit it with a bang. I think I got him to use a hook grip. He needs to show that he's willing to change, that he's willing to change. He needs to show that he's a completely different Nishikawa." Last season, he had a batting average of .174 in 49 games. There was hope for the birth of a new Nishikawa, returning to his former team after five years.

Nishikawa also said, "I want to find a new me," and the manager expressed his gratitude for Nishikawa's attitude, saying, "I heard that he used to be a kid who wouldn't listen (laughs). I'm glad that he had the courage to change and that he has changed."