Orix Buffaloes pitcher Hiroya Miyagi, who participated in the WBC, rejoined the team on the 20th for their game against Hanshin Tigers Tigers (Kyocera Dome Osaka). He is scheduled to make his first appearance in an exhibition game against the same team on the 21st, and participated in pre-game practice on this day. "It was frustrating, that's all I can say. I'll switch gears and next time I want to fight as Orix Buffaloes. I want to win the championship as a team, and I want to stay injury-free and maintain my place in the rotation," he said with determination.

After his second WBC appearance, he summarized by saying, "I was inspired by all the players." He also spoke about his experience with international rules such as the pitch clock and pitchcom. The Samurai Japan team, especially the pitchers and catchers, practiced thoroughly during training camps and exhibition games. He shared his opinion, saying, "Even though it's understandable that there are parts we're not used to, other countries have already implemented them. I realized that if we really want to win, we should do it (in Japan) as well. We had to adapt immediately after joining the training camp, so in that sense we were behind, and I personally think we could move forward more in that area."

pitcher Ryuhei Sotani who, along with Miyagi, proudly represented Japan, expressed his renewed determination, saying, "All I need to do is adjust properly for this season. I want to be able to pitch the required number of inning and get ready to pitch on the first-team stage as soon as possible." Regarding the pitch clock, he said, "After actually trying it, I think the game time was shorter. I felt that it might be a good idea to adopt it (in Japan)."