Pacific League: Seibu Lions 3-1 Nippon-Ham (25th, Belluna Dome)

Seibu Lions outfielder Seiya Watanabe (23) was registered to the active roster on the 25th before the game against Nippon-Ham and immediately joined the starting line-up batting seventh and playing third base, but he met with an accident and was removed from the game during defense in the fourth inning.

Watanabe was sidelined after being diagnosed with a 'left orbital floor fracture' when he was hit below his left eye by an irregular bounce while on defense during the Softbank Hawks game (Belluna Dome) on the 9th, leaving him unable to stand and forcing a mid-game substitution. However, he returned in a third-team game on the 20th and was promoted to the first team today, expressing his enthusiasm by saying, 'The team is in great shape, and since I'm returning and being given the chance to play, I'm really fired up.'

In the third inning with two outs and a runner on second base, Narama's ground ball was misplayed. While it didn't result in a runs, it widened the situation to two outs with runners on first and third. In his first at-bat of the third inning, with both teams scoreless, he hit a single to center hit off Nippon-Ham starting pitcher Ito. It was his first hit since returning to the team. Genda followed with a bunt and slid into second base, but was tagged out. During the slide, short stop Otsuka's spike hit Watanabe near his left knee, and as a result, Hirasawa took over at third base from the fourth defense onwards.

It appears that it did not turn into anything serious, and Manager Nishiguchi emphasized that the injury was minor, stating, 'It's fine. We treated it immediately. I think he will be able to play as usual (from tomorrow onwards).'