◆ Pacific League League: Lotte vs. Nippon-Ham (12th, ZOZO Marine Stadium)

Lotte Koki Yamaguchi outfielder (25) returned to the first team on the 12th for the first time in about a month. Nippon-Ham He started the game (ZOZO) as "No. 6, left field" and gave up his second hit of the season in the first at bat in the second inning.

With a 1-ball, 1-strike, he connected with a 151 km/h fastball from WBC Japan national team pitcher Hiromi Ito (28), sending a sharp line drive past third base.

This season, he made the opening day starting line-up for the first team, but in eight games he only managed a batting average of .077 with 0 Home Run and 0 RBI. He was unable to capitalize on two opportunities to start, and was removed from the roster on April 19th. Nevertheless, he has shown results in the minor leagues, batting .302 with 4 Home Run and 7 RBI in 16 games.

In the team's game against Softbank Hawks on the 10th (at Mizuho PayPay Dome), Fujiwara was injured and had to leave the game. He crashed into the right field wall while defense in the 5th inning and was later diagnosed with an anterior subluxation of the right shoulder joint at a hospital in Fukuoka City. The leadoff hitter was forced to leave the team, but Yamaguchi, who joined the team at the same time as Fujiwara and is the same age, was determined, saying, "I know I can't replace Kyota (Fujiwara). I just have to believe in myself and do what I have to do. I'll just believe in myself and do my best." True to his word, his swing was full of fighting spirit from his first at-bat.