Opening Day is nearly upon us, so it’s time to announce Friday’s announced starting pitchers and other assorted things.
Friday’s starting pitchers
Note: Pitchers’ records are for 2021.
Eagles vs Marines: Miyagi Stadium 4 pm, 3 am EDT
Takahiro Norimoto (11-5, 3.17) vs Ayumu Ishikawa (6-3, 3.38)
Lions vs Buffaloes: Seibu Dome 6 pm, 5 am EDT
Kona Takahashi (11-9, 3.78) vs Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18-5, 1.39)
Hawks vs Fighters: Fukuoka Dome 6:30 pm, 5:30 am EDT
Kodai Senga (10-3, 2.66) vs Koki Kitayama (-)
Giants vs Dragons: Tokyo Dome 6:15 pm, 5:15 am EDT
Tomoyuki Sugano (6-7, 3.19) vs Yudai Ono (7-11, 2.95)
BayStars vs Carp: Yokohama Stadium 6:30 pm, 5:30 am EDT
Katsuki Azuma (1-2, 2.29) vs Daichi Osera (10-5, 3.07)
Tigers vs Swallows: Osaka Dome 6 pm, 5 am EDT
Shintaro Fujinami (3-3, 5.21) vs Yasuhiro Ogawa (9-6, 4.14)
Shinjo being Shinjo
Fighters manager Tsuyoshi Shinjo, whose uniform will bear the nickname he has given himself, has named eighth-round draft pick Koki Kitayama to start on Opening Day after the youngster struck out 13 batters without issuing a walk in six preseason innings while recording two saves.
Sakamato to miss Opening Day
The Yomiuri Giants will be without their captain, shortstop Hayato Sakamoto for Opening Day against the Dragons due to a left oblique muscle injury. Tomoyuki Sugano, however, will start for manager Tatsunori Hara’s Giants. His eighth career Opening Day start moves him out of a tie with Koji Uehara for most in franchise history.
PL TV to give out 1st week free
Subscribers to Pacific League TV can get the first weekend of the PL season free with payment starting from April 1, so essentially a free trial.
It’s in Japanese, but Japanese baseball is FUN, and many of you will enjoy it.
