Nippon-Ham Shun Mizutani outfielder He hit two Home Run hits in a row and made a strong appeal to be the No. 1 hitter for the opening day of the season. In his first at-bat, he hit a change-up off of Taiwan's WBC team member Yi-Lei Sun to left-center field, and in his second at-bat in the third inning, he hit a cutter off of Matsumoto, a right-handed pitcher in the developmental lineup, right into the back screen. The first one was a breeze, I think (laughs), and the second one, I aimed at cutter and the approach, the direction of the ball, everything was perfect. I think I've made a round of applause at this stage," he said.

His goal this season is to win the Pacific League TV's "Best Podium Award." Last season, his teammate Saito won the award. Although he thrilled fans with his unusual answers that didn't lead to a conversation, Mizutani sees him as a rival, saying, "I'm not happy with it. No one knows what he's talking about (laughs)." Mizutani himself has also performed pineapple outfits and mic performances such as "1, 2, 3 Jessie," and said, "Being able to stand on the podium means I did well in the game. I'd be happy if people came to Ace Combat Team hoping to see me on the podium." He is set to captivate fans this season as well. (Kawakami Haruki)