Orix Buffaloes pitcher Shumpeita Yamashita (23) broke out in a cold sweat on the 7th. While in bullpen during the Miyazaki training camp, a curveball that went astray hit Sugimoto, who was standing in the right-handed batter's box to get used to the pitch, near his left thigh. "I hit him... It was a curveball, so it's a good thing it was his leg. I'm sorry," he said, showing his remorse.

The 161 km/h right-hander, in his seventh year as a pro, is aiming to be the opening day pitcher for the first time since 23 years ago. His fastest pitch that day was 154 km/h, so after practice he went to his senior, who is 11 years his senior, saying, "If he had hit me with a fastball, he would hate me. It was really close. I'll go and apologize with all my might later!" A brawl could have broken out, but Raoh, being the kind-hearted person he is, responded with a joke, "It's totally fine. I told him, 'The spin wasn't very good, so it's not a big deal' (laughs)."