Softbank Hawks pitcher Hikaru Kimura was removed from the active roster on the 22nd.

In his fourth year after graduating from university, he appeared in a team-high 27 games. He had already set a personal best, and his ERA was consistent at 2.13. He recorded his first professional win on May 30 against Hiroshima (Mizuho PayPay), and together with the team's most wins in interleague games, he recorded three wins. However, in the game against Nippon-Ham on the 20th (ESCON), he pitched from the sixth inning as the third pitcher, showing signs of concern with a 1-hit 2 Walk 1-runs in the first inning. This marked his second deregistration this season, following his mid-May deregistration.