Orix Buffaloes pitcher Ren Mukunoki (26) is looking forward to reuniting with his "former teammates" at the midsummer festival. It was decided on the 13th that he will make his first appearance in the "Mynavi All-Star Game 2026" (July 28th at Tokyo Dome, 29th at Toyama) as a manager's selection. "I was very encouraged to be evaluated by managers from other teams," he said, expressing his joy, and he envisioned himself making the dream stage exciting with familiar faces.

He joined the team in 2021 as the first overall pick in the draft from Tohoku Fukushi University, and in his fifth season this year, he has been known as the "eighth inning man," recording a Pacific League-leading 22 hold in 31 games. "I want to show how much I've grown," he said, naming Hanshin Tigers 's Nakano, who was three years his senior in college, as hitter he wants to face. "My weapon is my fastball," he said, and if it happens, he intends to challenge him head-on. "I'm really happy," he said, looking forward to playing alongside Yakult 's Yamano, who was one year his senior at Takagawa Gakuen (Yamaguchi) and the same university.

Having undergone Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in 2022 and even experienced a period on a developmental contract, he's a hard worker who wants to "pitch in a way that gets the stadium excited." He'll bloom like a lotus flower in the place he's always dreamed of. (Shunta Nanbu)