The Japanese baseball team, which is evaluated as the strongest power ever, revealed its gaps. Yuki Matsui (Rakuten Eagles) and Ryoji Kuribayashi (Hiroshima Carp), who are potential close candidates, are uneasy. The middle relief and finishing teams, which were said to be as solid as the strong starting lineup, such as Yu Darvish (San Diego Padres), Shohei Ohtani (LA Angels), and Rocky Sasaki (Chiba Lotte Marines), collapsed.
The Japanese national team lost 2-7 in a practice match against the Chunichi Dragons held at the Nagoya Dome in Aichi Prefecture, Japan on the 3rd. A week before the opening of the first round of the World Baseball Classic (WBC), he was completely defeated. Chunichi was the last team in the Central League last year.
7th inning behind 1-3. Matsui, who came out as the third pitcher, collapsed in an instant. He did not last one inning. He gave up 2 hits, 3 walks and 4 runs in ⅔ innings.
After walking lead batter Mikiya Tanaka, he allowed a stolen base. Catch the follow-up hitter with a fly by center fielder, strikeout on a swing, and 2 out and 2nd base. I couldn’t catch my breath. Hosokawa Seiya hit a double at the right time and allowed one run.
The crisis continued. 2 outs loaded with bases on consecutive walks. Shuhei Takahashi, a veteran of Chunichi, hit Matsui’s first pitch and made it a timely hit.
Director Hideki Kuriyama could not wait any longer. He lowered Matsui and raised Kuribayashi. However, Kuribayashi gave up 2 RBIs in a timely manner with 2 outs and bases loaded. Kuribayashi allowed two walks while pitching 1⅓ innings through the eighth inning. 베팅룸 토토
Last year, Matsui recorded 1 win, 3 losses, 7 holds, 32 saves – 1.92 ERA, and Kuribayashi was a professional closer with 2 losses, 6 holds, 31 saves – 1.49. He is a promising finisher for this team.
Matsui also gave up two walks in one inning during a practice game against the Softbank Hawks on February 26. He had a lot of balls that went far out of the strike zone. At the time, the national team coaching staff said he seemed to have difficulty adapting to the WBC official ball.
Following starting pitcher Shota Imana (Yokohama Baystars), Dogo Shousei (Yomiuri Giants), who took the mound in the fourth inning, also gave up two runs in three innings. After two deaths in the sixth inning, he hit a home run and two consecutive doubles and gave up two runs. Taisei (Yomiuri), who took the mound as the last pitcher, ended the first inning with a three hitter.
In the practice game against Chunichi on the 4th, Sasaki will start.