◆Exhibition game: Orix Buffaloes vs. Hiroshima (March 18, Kyocera Dome Osaka)

Orix Buffaloes pitcher Shota Abe has been appointed "Osaka City Taisho Ward Ambassador," and an inauguration ceremony was held before the game. Born in the ward, he played for Osaka Municipal Taisho Higashi Junior High School, Sakata Minami (Yamagata), Seibi University, and Nippon Life Insurance before joining Orix Buffaloes in the 2020 draft as the 6th pick. Since 2023, when he made a career-high 49 appearances, he has donated funds to the ward in proportion to the number of games he has pitched.

Abe is the first person to be appointed as an ambassador by the ward. It has also been decided that pitching machines will be donated to the four junior high school baseball teams in the ward with the donated funds. Looking ahead to his sixth year, in which he will be changing pitch form to be more sidearm, he said with enthusiasm, "I want to work even harder, achieve results, and bring energy and courage to Taisho Ward. I hope to be able to meet the children with smiles on their faces during the off-season."