Orix Buffaloes ・ Hiroya Miyagi pitcher (24), who underwent left elbow medial collateral ligament reconstruction surgery in the United States, began rehabilitation at the team's facility in Maishima, Osaka, on May 5. On this day, he checked his post-operative progress, including maintaining his grip strength with a rubber ball. The ace, who aims to return to competition in a year or so at the earliest, looked straight ahead.

"I try to think of good things and new things, and imagine a bright future for myself. That's all I can do. I want to approach everything with a positive attitude." The surgical scar remains, a painful sight, but even before the surgery, she practiced brushing her teeth and eating with her non-dominant right hand. She found it difficult to consciously avoid sleeping with her left arm down, and she smiled wryly, saying, "I do end up losing a little sleep..."

He has a record of 1 win and 1 loss in 3 games this season. Along with Yamashita, who also underwent surgery on his right elbow, his absence for the season is confirmed. Until the swelling in his left arm subsides, he will continue with simple exercises such as "squeezing a rubber ball and opening and closing his hands." He also expressed his gratitude to the team, saying, "I am also grateful that they kept the option (of having surgery in the United States) open for me."

"I want to be able to think, when I eventually retire from baseball, 'This period is what allowed me to pitch for so long. It was a necessary rest for me.'" What he's determined to do is not look back. He's starting his best preparations. (Toru Nagata)