◇Tohoku Rakuten Eagles 's "Ringo Musume" group Pink Lady takes the ceremonial first pitch.

Today, Tuesday the 12th, at Aomori Haruka Yume Stadium, Pink Lady from the idol group 'Ringo Musume,' based in Hirosaki City, took the mound at the Tohoku Rakuten Eagles vs. Orix Buffaloes game held at Aomori Haruka Yume Stadium. Here are the comments.

▼ "Apple Girl" Pink Lady Comment ▼
"Four Apple Girls threw together, and it was truly an honor and a fun time. I think pitch bounce, but I can't remember whether it fit into the catcher mitt or I was too nervous (laughs). It's frustrating, so if I get the chance next time, I want to practice at least to reach the catcher. Not only the citizens of Hirosaki, but also everyone in Aomori Prefecture looks forward to Rakuten Eagles matches every year, so I'm really happy that it was held again this year. We really hope you win today, and we're cheering for you too!"

◇ Fukuoka Softbank player Yuki Yanagita 's 1500th career game appearance commemorative goods will be on sale.

Fukuoka Softbank announced that they will be selling commemorative goods for Yuki Yanagita 's 1500th career game appearance. Yanagita achieved this milestone in today's game against Saitama Seibu Lions. As Yanagita is a manga fan, the lineup includes standard items such as T-shirts and towels in two designs: one with a pink base and comic motifs, and another with a black base and pink accents, as well as limited-edition items.

◇ Trades for Fukuoka Softbank, Shuto Ogata, Tomoya Inoue and Yuhiro Yamamoto of Yokohama DeNA are completed.

Fukuoka Softbank, Shuto Ogata pitcher, Tomoya Inoue The team announced that a trade has been finalized involving one of its players and Yuta Yamamoto of the Yokohama DeNA BayStars.

Pitcher Ogata, who joined the team as the first reliever in the 2017 developmental draft, has mainly played as a relief pitcher. Last season, he appeared in a career-high 38 games, and this season he has a record of 0 wins and 2 losses with ERA of 3.00 in 10 games. Inoue joined the team as the first overall pick in the 2020 draft. Last season, he played in 96 games in the minor leagues, batting .276 with Home Run 62 RBI (2nd in the league), but has not yet appeared in the first team this season.

▼Comments pitcher Ogata▼
"I'm sad to leave after nine years, but no matter where I play baseball, my goals will remain the same, so I want to continue honing my skills towards my dreams. DeNA, like The Hawks, seems to be very technologically advanced. I enjoy using such things, so I'm grateful. I've always received warm support from the fans, and I'm truly thankful."

▼Inoue's Comment▼
"I was able to grow both mentally and physically at The Hawks. Although I was drafted first overall, I wasn't able to perform as well as I had hoped, and I experienced a lot of frustration. However, I've now been given the opportunity to join Yokohama DeNA, and the team atmosphere seems good, so I'm looking forward to working hard with a renewed spirit. To all The Hawks fans, thank you for your tremendous support at the Dome and in Chikugo."

▼Comment from Kenji Jojima, CBO▼
"We believed that Yamamoto's playing style would suit The Hawks, and as The Hawks that considered catcher one of our areas for improvement, he was one of the players we were keeping an eye on. His track record as a baseball player and the fact that he is at the prime of his life are also attractive, and we believe he will be a valuable asset for strengthening the team in the medium to long term."

As you know, pitcher Ogata has a fastball that can compete in the first team. I'm sure he'll do well in Central League as well. Inoue was drafted first overall but hasn't performed as well as expected so far, but I hope that the change of environment will bring out his high potential. This trade is a perfect match between the needs of The Hawks and The BayStars. I'm looking forward to seeing all three players succeed."

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