◆Exhibition game: Softbank Hawks 5-7 Hiroshima (March 21, Mizuho PayPay Dome)

Softbank Hawks pitcher Yuki Matsumoto made his first appearance since the WBC, completing one scoreless runs.

He took mound as the sixth pitcher in the eighth inning and closer Noma, Katsuta, and Sato Kei in order with just 10 pitches.

"I was able to throw without any problems with my body," he said, looking back on his appearance, and confessed, "I threw the breaking ball with a slightly different assembly than before." He also used pitches such as cutter and two seam fastball, which he did not pitch much last season, and showed a stable pitch, saying, "It's an open game, so I want to increase the range of what I can do."

He will not be accompanying the team to the final exhibition game against Hiroshima on the 22nd (at Mazda Stadium), but will instead be preparing for the start of the season with bullpen pitch and other activities.