Seibu Lions On the 31st, they lost 4–5 to the Orix Buffaloes (Belluna Dome) lose. The CS Fuji TV ONE program “Pro baseball News 2026,” which aired on the 31st, featured starting pitcher Chihiro Sumida.On this day, Sumida pitched tenely for six innings, throwing 91 pitches with 8 hit, 2 strike out, and no outs Walk, while also allowing 3 runs. Commentator Hiroki Nomura remarked, “Looking solely at the results—six innings, 3 runs—I’d like to say he did a great job, but considering Sumida’s potential and position, he didn’t perform well today.He struggled to make adjustments,” he remarked critically, adding“In particular, every pitch on the outside corner to right-handed batters ended up inside. splitter-type pitches and change-up are still acceptable, but there were also many splitter-type pitches that tended to drop toward slider … Days like this happen, but I wish he had made more adjustments during the game. He probably knows this better than anyone, and he’s clearly frustrated,” he said, reflecting on Sumida’s pitching performance that day.

Nomura also commented, "He's the kind of player who's entrusted with the opening of the second half of the season, so even though he didn't get a win or a loss today, I want him to become a player who can build up a winning record. I want him to take today's pitching, including his mechanics, and carry that into his next appearance."

☆ Cooperation: Fuji TV ONE "Professional baseball News 2026"