It was decided on the 6th that Orix Buffaloes pitcher Yasuto Takashima (26) will start in the game against Lotte on the 7th (Kyocera Dome). The team suffered its first three-game sweep against the same opponent this season in the series against Nippon-Ham starting on the 3rd (Escon). Despite being called up to pitch in a difficult situation, he emphasized taking a relaxed approach, saying, "I will have the feeling that I am the one who will stop (the losing streak), but I will stay calm. I will not force myself, and I will not be too nervous. The results will naturally follow."

In his last appearance on March 31 against Seibu Lions (at Belluna Dome), he was pulled after 4 innings, having given up 5 hit 3 runs. "I was only able to throw fastballs and cutter. That made it difficult against right-handed hitter," he reflected. After the game, he revealed that manager Kishida had told him, "You'll be closer the game more easily if you have a breaking ball," so he practiced throwing a two-seam two seam fastball. "It's not quite fork yet, but I felt that the vertical drop grip of two seam fastball was just right for me," he said, showing confidence heading to mound after a six-day rest.

In 2025, he had a record of 2 wins and 1 loss ERA of 3.67 in 22 games. In relief, he pitched 39 1/3 innings in 16 games with ERA of 2.75, showing consistent performance, but he has a strong desire to become a regular in the rotation, saying, "If I can produce solid results as a starter, I probably won't have to go back to reliever." The third-year right-hander is popular with female fans, who call him "the prince from Oji" after the team he played for in his amateur days. "It's the first game of a six-game series, so considering the reliever, I want to pitch a good number of inning. If I keep my pitch count low, inning will naturally increase," he said with determination.