Hiroki Nomura and Kenichi Tanizawa, who appeared on "Professional baseball News 2026" broadcast on Fuji TV ONE on the 23rd, mentioned Softbank Hawks 's Ryoya Kurihara.

Kurihara joined the team as catcher, but in recent years he has mainly played at third base, and has not played as catcher since 2021. In this context, he made an unusual attempt to try catcher again during spring training.

Nomura said, "I wonder how much Manager Kokubo has really thought about this. He's naturally doing a good job, but it's a pretty tough position, so it's possible that it will affect his batting, or it may not, and I'm curious to know how much Manager Kokubo has really thought about this."

Tanizawa expressed concern that Kurihara might get injured, saying, "I hope he doesn't get injured. Kurihara joined the team as catcher, but it's been a while since he last played. He's played both infield and outfield."

☆ Cooperation: Fuji TV ONE "Professional baseball News 2026"