Orix Buffaloes Buffaloes infielder Kotaro Kobayashi (24) expressed his eagerness to play in the league restart game Seibu Lions on the 19th (at Kyocera Dome) on the 16th. He injured his left leg in the game against Hanshin Tigers on the 12th (at the same stadium) and missed the last two games of the interleague series. On this day, he participated in batting practice at the home stadium and also completed his first defense drills since the injury. "I'm perfectly fine. I can play," he emphasized.

In his seventh professional season, he has hit a team-high eight Home Run as the starting short stop. Manager Kishida said he would do a final check at practice on the 18th, but expressed his expectations for his restart, saying, "From what I've seen, he seems fine. He's physically strong. I think he'll keep improving."