It has been decided that pitcher Hideaki Wakui, who won the title with the most wins last season in professional baseball and Rakuten, will serve as the opening pitcher.
In the second game, pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, who returned from the major leagues, will be the starting pitcher.
Rakuten coach Kazuhisa Ishii revealed the starting pitcher for the season opener and second game on March 26, after a practice match with Yakult in Urasoe City, Okinawa Prefecture on the 27th.
Wakui, who was nominated as the opening pitcher, won 11 wins last season, the first year he transferred from Lotte, and won the title with the most wins.
In the practice game with Yakult on the 26th, which was the first pitching in the actual game, he showed no hits and no runs and made good adjustments, and said about the opening pitcher, "Just throw it so that you can think that you've left it to me." He showed enthusiasm.
In his 17th year as a professional pitcher, 34-year-old pitcher Hideaki Wakui will be the opening pitcher for Seibu five times, Lotte four times, and Rakuten for the first time, for a total of ten times.
Pitcher Tanaka, who returned to Rakuten for the first time in eight years from the Major League Baseball Yankees, will start the second game of the season.
Manager Ishii said, "Wakui threw innings firmly last year and won. I'm the best pitcher who contributed to the team, so I'd like to leave it to the lead. Wakui wins and Tanaka wins and wins three consecutive games. Is ideal. "
Rakuten, which aims to win the league title for the first time in eight years and become the best in Japan, will face Nippon-Ham with the opening card from March 26, which will be held at Rakuten Seimei Park Miyagi in Sendai City.