◆Nippon Life Interleague Series 2026: The Giants 5-1 Softbank Hawks (27th, Tokyo Dome)

After working his way up from a development contract, the dream stage he finally reached in his fifth year in Japan was not an easy one. Softbank Hawks 's Almenta was knocked out in the middle of the third inning in his debut game, giving up 5 runs on 4 hit 4 Hit by Pitch batsmen, resulting in a loss. The 21-year-old left-hander, who represented Mexico in this spring's WBC, looked ahead, saying, "I couldn't compete within strike zone. I want to reflect on this and work hard to be able to pitch well."

fastball clocked a maximum of 157 km/h, but he struggled with control. "If strike and balls are that clear, the first team won't let them get away with it. No matter how fast your ball is, you have to get ahead in the count with strike. But it was his first appearance," said manager Kokubo, whose team's winning streak ended at four. number 34 is a nod to Valenzuela, the Mexican legend left-handed pitcher who played for the Dodgers and other teams. The team is hoping he will develop like Moinelo, a Cuban who also rose from a development contract to become an ace. (Koichiro Shimao)