◆Farm League Rakuten Eagles 1-3 Hayate (24th, Shinrindori Izumi)

Rakuten Eagles infielder Rui Muneyama, who had been sidelined due to a left wrist cartilage (TFCC) injury, returned to action on the 24th.

He started as the “No. 2 batter and shortstop” in the Farm League game against Hayate. In his first at-bat in the first inning with no outs and a runner on first, he took a called strike struck out, but in his second at-bat leading off the fourth inning, he hit a single to center field hit. He was replaced by a pinch runner immediately afterward. He also handled his duties at shortstop defense with ease.“First and foremost, I think the most important thing is that I was able to play in the game and perform solidly without any anxiety,” he reflected.

In his second year, Muneyama suffered an injury in the game against The Giants on March 20th (Tokyo Dome) and was sidelined. He spent more than three months away from competitive play. "I felt sorry that I couldn't play in the games, especially since I had been given many opportunities since the open season. When I watched the games on video, I was certainly frustrated that I wasn't able to play," he reflected.

Despite feeling frustrated, he didn't let this period of absence go to waste. "It was a time when I could constantly think about what I could do now and work on my challenges, so I think I was able to approach it positively." He took the time to seriously confront himself.

Going forward, he plans to continue competing while monitoring his physical condition. "I think my playing time will increase depending on my condition, so I feel a little impatient, but I want to do my best while keeping an eye on my own condition," he said, looking ahead.