NPB Enterprises announced on the 27th starter a preview of the Rugzas Samurai Japan Series 2026 Nagoya Samurai Japan vs Chunichi Dragons, a send-off game to be held on the 28th at Vantelin Dome. Samurai Japan will be Nippon-Ham and Hiromi Ito pitcher (28), and Yudai Ohno pitcher (37) will pitch for Chunichi.
Ito said enthusiastically, "I hope I can pitch with a good sense of tension. I want to prepare well so that I can start as usual. I want to start as usual, check where I am and think about how to closer."
Regarding his conversations with Ohtani, he revealed, "We didn't go into much depth, but we did have conversations like, 'When are you going to pitch?'"
In his fifth professional season last year, Ito started 27 games, compiling a record of 14 wins and 8 losses with an ERA of 2.52, winning two titles: most wins and most strike out (195 strike out). He also received his first Sawamura Award.
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