On the 4th, Nippon-Ham pitcher Fukuya Yamazaki revealed that he will be actively using his new screwball pitch in the game Seibu Lions on the 5th (ESCON), where he will be starting.

During training camp, he sought the guidance of Masa Yamamoto, a baseball legend with 219 career wins, and was taught his prized screwball. When asked about the position of his new pitch, he said, "I'm not sure yet. I want to throw it again tomorrow, so I want to make sure I understand how the batters react."

He said he felt confident with the ball itself, saying, "I can control it to a certain extent." When asked where he would use it, he said, "I want to use it as count ball, and I want to get it even if it's a hit. I don't know how catcher will react yet, so I'm looking forward to pitching it for a long inning and seeing how it goes."