◆ Rookie who received a harsh welcome from the pros: "I think it was a very tough first game."

Rakuten Eagles 's first-round draft pick, Sota Fujiwara, made his professional debut as a starting pitcher against Orix Buffaloes on the 29th. In the first inning, he gave runs three consecutive hits and a run after only five pitches, and his performance was lackluster, with 47 pitches thrown over three innings, 8 hit 1 strike out 2 walks/ Hit by Pitch, and 4 runs allowed (3 earned).

Regarding the rookie right-hander's bittersweet debut, Tsutomu Iwamoto, MC of Fuji TV ONE's 'Pro baseball News 2026' broadcast on the 29th, said, "He showed pretty good form during camp and pre-games. I think his bold pitch is his pitcher, but today it seemed a bit rough," to which commentator Akihiko Oya said, I think there was a lot of tension there. He was hit from the very first pitch and runs in no time, so maybe he didn't know what he was doing. It felt like every pitch I threw was missed, so I think it was a very tough first game," he analyzed.

Another commentator, Hatsuhiko Tsuji, expressed his hopes for their future growth, saying, "This is also a learning experience, so I hope they can put it to good use next time, as they have so much potential."

☆ Cooperation: Fuji TV ONE "Professional baseball News 2026"