It was revealed on the 26th that Rakuten Eagles pitcher Tatsuki Koja Furuya (24) is scheduled to start in the exhibition game against Hiroshima (Kurashiki) on the 28th.

The third-year left-hander tied for the team lead with seven wins last season and is a candidate to be the opening pitcher this season. In a training game against Nippon-Ham on the 11th, he pitched two innings, allowing two hit and one runs, with a top speed of 149 km/h. He will continue to make progress in order to secure this important role.