◆Nippon Life Interleague Series 2026: Hiroshima vs. Orix Buffaloes (May 5th, Mazda Stadium)

Orix Buffaloes On May 5, Haruto Watanabe outfielder was removed from the roster due to a lower-body condition. In his fifth year as a pro, he has secured a permanent spot in center field with his high defense power and running ability, and has played in 46 games. He was close to fully blossoming with a .260 batting average, 3 Home Run including his first professional arch, 10 RBI and second in the league with 11 stolen base.

This is a painful loss for both Watanabe and the team. Among pitcher, Miyagi and Yamashita will be out for the rest of the season due to elbow surgery, and among fielder, Moritomo was just removed from the roster on the 2nd. In their place, 18-year-old outfielder Yosuke Kubota, a fourth-round draft pick, has been promoted to the professional team for the first time.