Softbank Hawks Hawks outfielder Kensuke Kondo a member of the WBC Japan national team, joined the team on the 19th. He participated in the team practice at Mizuho PayPay Stadium and energetically moved around, saying, "I'm a little tired, but it's no problem at all."

This was his second consecutive appearance in the WBC, but his team was defeated in the quarterfinals against Venezuela on the 14th (15th Japan time) at Lone Depot Park in Miami, Florida, USA. He finished the tournament without a hit in 13 At Bat hit He has experience winning the championship in the 2019 Premier12, the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, and the 2023 WBC. This tournament was his first time experiencing defeat, and he revealed his true feelings, saying, "I was able to see a great view last time, and it's frustrating to lose after three years, and it was also frustrating for me because it was my first loss in an international tournament."

In the early stages of the tournament, he mainly batted second, following Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he struggled at the plate. He had even modified his batting form during the offseason, but he admitted, "The fact that I couldn't adapt to that (WBC) means I still feel there's room for improvement in my thinking and approach." He vowed to continue growing, saying, "I'm not satisfied with where I am now, and I have to keep growing. Just realizing that made me feel like I still have a lot of potential."

He also expressed his determination for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, which he will be competing in at the age of 34, saying, "If I get the chance, I want to grow stronger and get my revenge." Looking ahead to this season's competition, he said, "I feel like I didn't give it my all, so I want to train my body again for Los Angeles, and if I get the chance to compete, I want to get my revenge on that stage," showing his fighting spirit.