◆Preseason game: Lotte 4-6 Softbank (8th, ZOZO)

Softbank 's Uesawa has been selected for the opening rotation. He has made some adjustments since his last outburst. He threw 53 pitches in the fourth inning, giving up three hit one runs. In the second inning, he struck out out Ishigaki and Aito in succession with slider, and his fastball reached a top speed of 146 km/h on mound with temperatures of 7 degrees. "I was able to throw some speed considering the conditions. It's not perfect, but I can see the path forward," he said with a bright expression.

In a practice game against Seibu the Miyazaki Ivy on January 1, he went 0 for 3 in 2 innings. 10 hit 7 runs His straight ball, which had been troubling him since camp in February, was only 143 km/h at its fastest, and he said, "The issue is clear. He has been working on his form, including the timing of his right foot kick, and on this day his fastball was stable in the mid-140s. I was able to get some strikeouts. （There were some pop flies (including foul balls). When I'm good, I get a lot of pop flies. runner Even if there is no pitch pop fly, he can still get it with a quick motion. He also showed his ingenuity in making the game more repeatable: "It's no different if I get a runner.

Manager Kokubo had been counting on him to be part of the opening rotation, but for the first time stated, "It's already decided." The most likely matchup is the third opening game against Lotte on the 30th (Mizuho PayPay). "Continue practicing and let it soak into your body," said Uesawa. The right-handed pitcher struggled in the US last season, but returned to Japanese baseball after just one year, and now he's back on the starting line for a fresh start. (Ando Osamu)