◆Pre-season Rakuten Eagles and Nippon-Ham (12th, Shizuoka)

pitcher Naoto Nishiguchi (29), who started in the exhibition game against Nippon-Ham pitched well for five innings, allowing four hit and two runs.

In the 5th inning, he gave up a double hit to Kamikawahata in the top of the first inning, but got Yamagata to ground out double play to second, then got Yazawa to ground out change-up to second, and got off mound with 77 pitches.

Nishiguchi overcame Tommy John surgery and returned to the regular roster from the development team in February of last year. Last season, he pitched in 52 games as a relief pitcher and recorded 31 hold. This season, he has announced his intention to transition to starting pitching, and on the 5th, in an exhibition game against the Lotte Marines (Shizuoka), he pitched as the second reliever from the 6th inning, pitching three innings and allowing two hit and no runs.