Seibu Lions pitcher Chihiro Sumida will start in the first game of the series against Orix Buffaloes on the 22nd (at Belluna Dome).

The left-handed pitcher was scheduled to start against Nippon-Ham on the 16th (at Escon Stadium), but had to skip the start due to tightness in his left shoulder. However, since the injury was minor, he continued his training while staying with the team, and has now fully recovered, saying, "I'm fine." This will be his first start in 13 days since his last appearance, and he vowed, "My shoulder feels like it's had a bit of a rest, so we'll see if that works out well or badly. My fastball is faster than I thought it would. I think there might be times when I'm feeling my way around because of the long break, so I'll be bold and go for it from the first batter."

The team rose to first place for the first time this season on the 17th, but dropped to second place on the 20th, and is currently 0.5 games behind the first-place Orix Buffaloes. This game is expected to be Sumida's last appearance before the interleague series. "It's still early in the season, so I can't say anything for sure..." he said, but added, "Ultimately, we have to beat every team. In that sense, I want to prevent Orix Buffaloes from gaining momentum and bring a good flow to the team."