Orix Buffaloes announced on the 20th that infielder Taishi Hirooka (29) underwent surgery to remove a herniated lumbar disc at a hospital in Hyogo Prefecture. This season, he complained of lower back stiffness during a game against Seibu Lions on April 16th (at Kyocera Dome) and was substituted out of the game. He was removed from the active roster on the 18th of the same month.

He follows Yamashita and Miyagi, who underwent right elbow and left elbow medial collateral ligament (LCL) reconstruction surgeries in the United States, respectively, on the team. Last season, he performed at a high level inside outfield and cleared the regulation batting lineup for the first time in his 10th year as a professional. He is a versatile player who is also popular among female fans, winning first place for two consecutive years in the team's "Olimen Poll," a project of the baseball team. He is scheduled to undergo rehabilitation with the aim of returning to the lineup in the second half of the season.