◆Exhibition game Orix Buffaloes 1-0 Hanshin Tigers (March 22, Kyocera Dome Osaka)

Orix Buffaloes may face a tough start to the season. They scored a total of three runs in the last three exhibition games. It's worrying that there doesn't seem to be a player who can firmly establish himself as the heart of their batting lineup.

The biggest concern is Sugimoto and Kurebayashi. Perhaps they're not in top condition, as they're not able to execute the sharp swings that grip the ground with their lower bodies. While there are some reliable left-handed hitter hitters like Nishikawa, Mori, and So, the key will be right-handed hitter and power hitters. It looks like Tongu will also be out of the opening day roster due to injury, so they'll likely struggle to put together a cleanup lineup.

The pitching rotation, including Miyagi, Soya, and Kuri, who all participated in the WBC, is stable. There are also promising relief pitchers like Mukunoki who have shown remarkable improvement. It seems realistic that they will rely on pitcher staff to get through the early spring and win games with minimal runs scored. Under manager Nakajima, a constantly changing lineup worked well, leading to three consecutive championships, but unless they start building a team with a more fixed core, it will be difficult to compete against Softbank Hawks and Nippon-Ham. (Sports Hochi commentator)