◆ Practice match: Rakuten Eagles 7-4 Hanshin Tigers (14th, Ginoza)

Chiharu Tanaka pitcher who joined Rakuten Eagles as compensation for pitcher Takahiro Norimoto 's free agent transfer to The Giants, pitched one hit hitless runs in his first appearance in a game. He showed promising form and is on track to make the opening day roster.

The right-handed pitcher, who came in as the seventh pitcher in the ninth inning with a three-run lead, struck out Kumagai on a grounder to second base, Nagasaka on a grounder to third base, and Consuegra on a fly ball to right field, closing out the game with just eight pitches.

It was a perfect pitch that would have earned a save in regular season. Without using even one of his signature fork, he managed to get three outs, and the 25-year-old, who is looking to make a breakthrough in his new environment, said with a bright expression, "I'm confident that I was able to rely mainly on fastballs. It's still the beginning, and the real challenge will come once the season begins. I want to keep working hard."