Orix Buffaloes, Haruto Watanabe, and outfielder (26)—who have been sidelined due to lower-body injuries—resumed outdoor batting practice on the 17th at the team’s facility in Maishima, Osaka. Removed from the active roster on the 5th, they have been undergoing a step-by-step rehabilitation process. “My batting is totally fine. I’ve gotten to the point where I can do it without any problems,” he said as he carefully checked his form.

In his fifth pro season, he appeared in 46 games, batting .262 with 3 Home Run and 10 RBI. With 11 stolen base—second in the Pacific League—he was on the verge of securing the starting center field position thanks to his speed, so he spoke with evident frustration, saying, “Of course I’m watching the games…”He has already cleared the sprints and outfield fielding drills. “My approach hasn’t changed,” he emphasized. “Whether it’s defense, base running, or batting, I’ll focus on doing what I can. I want to return as soon as possible.”

On this day, Tomoya Mori catcher (30), who had been sidelined due to an upper-body injury, also practiced his swing outdoors. As he aims to close the gap on the leaders from third place, the players in rehabilitation are picking up the pace.