◆ Pacific League Rakuten Eagles 11-4 Orix Buffaloes (November 11th, Rakuten Eagles Mobile)

Orix Buffaloes Mugitani made a pleasant sound in the big sky of Tohoku. The first time he was called up to bat was in the 8th inning with no outs and a runner on first with the score at 1-9. Rakuten Eagles home run The first time you see the same kind of a person, you will be able to see the same kind of person in the same situation. The first hit of the season was the first two runs of the counterattack. The Sendai native left-handed hitter said, "Frankly, I'm happy," as he chewed on his first Gairyan hit.

He joined the team as the first overall pick in the 2024 draft, but before the game he was hit in seven At Bat. "If I don't do well today, I'll be sent down to the minor leagues. It was a tough at-bat," he confessed, and recently he has been reviewing all the footage of his time at Fuji University. After turning pro, he changed his stance to one where he carries the bat on his shoulders, but he questioned himself, "Why am I in this world?" and changed back to the stance he used to have where he holds the bat upright. Before the games against Lotte on the 7th and 9th (at Kyocera Dome), he played in farm team games, struggling but finally managing to pry open the heavy door.

After a crushing defeat ended their winning streak, he's determined to step up in his second year. During his junior high school years, he was a member of the Tohoku Rakuten Eagles Little Senior team's inaugural graduating class, and even now, before games in Sendai, he makes sure to greet his former coaches. "The competition for outfield is fierce, but I want to make it into the mix." He sees his success as a way of repaying their kindness. (Shunta Nanbu)