On the 28th, Softbank Hawks manager Hiroki Kokubo announced that pitcher Naoyuki Uwasawa will be the opening pitcher for this season.

The final session of the Miyazaki training camp began today. In an interview before practice, he declared, "Naoyuki Uwasawa will be the opening pitcher for 2026." He explained his decision, saying, "He and Ozeki were both players who were guaranteed to be in the rotation regardless of the results of the exhibition games. Given his performance in the latter half of last year, his efforts this offseason, and the state of the training camp, I told him that Uesawa was the only one."

The announcement was made at the hotel on the 27th, when Uesawa returned from a trip to Taiwan. When he was told, Uesawa himself said, "He had a look on his face that said, 'I knew that was coming.' He didn't seem particularly surprised, just thought that was what was going to happen." The manager brought a brush and washi paper with him to the Taiwan trip, and entrusted his right-hand man with the team's first battle towards a third consecutive league championship, saying, "I told him I wanted him to be a pillar for the team this year, and I gave it to him with a short letter."

Uesawa has experience as the opening pitcher in 2019 and 2021 when he was with Nippon-Ham Fighters, but this is his first time with The Hawks. The first time (vs. Orix Buffaloes, Sapporo Dome) he gave up three runs in six innings, resulting in a tie, and the second time (vs. Rakuten Eagles, Rakuten Eagles Seimei Park) he gave up six runs in 4 2/3 innings, resulting in him being lose pitcher. This will be his third big role, against his former team. He will be aiming for his first opening day win.

He also started in an exchange game against the Chinatrust Brothers of the Taiwan Professional baseball (Taipei Dome) on the 25th, allowing only one runs in two innings.