◆Exhibition game: Nippon-Ham vs. DeNA (18th, Escon Stadium)

Nippon-Ham pitcher Koki Kitayama (26) joined the team before the game. He was greeted with applause from the players, staff, and other related personnel in a huddle.

In the WBC, he pitched in two games in the Tokyo round, allowing no runs. He showcased his high level of skill, striking out four of the seven hitter in two struck out. He returned to Japan on the 16th, took a complete rest on the 17th, and then appeared at Escon. "It felt like I was back with my family, or rather, I had a sense of relief like I was back home, so although I was disappointed, I came back with a great sense of excitement to see everyone, so I think today was a good day."

He said that Manager Shinjo had sent him direct messages on Instagram during the WBC and after the team's defeat, and he expressed his gratitude, saying, "I can't say too much because of the nature of my relationship with Mr. Shinjo, but he did say something along the lines of, 'I'm watching over you closely.' Even though I was away from the team, I felt like he was close by, and it was very reassuring." On this day, he spoke directly with the manager and said, "We talked about what I'll do when I return to The Fighters. It's a secret though (laughs)," indicating that they discussed their plans for the season.

The right-hander, who won nine games last season, is tentatively scheduled to pitch in the second game of the season against Softbank Hawks on the 28th (at Mizuho PayPay Dome). "That's the plan for now. My body is in pretty good shape, and I wasn't pitching on a packed schedule (in the WBC), so my body is back to being fresh. I think we'll find out later how I'll pitch in the remaining exhibition games, but I'll make sure to get my body in shape for that and avoid injuries." He also hinted at pitching in the remaining four exhibition games, and is adjusting his preparations for the second game of the season.