The Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball announced that Shouki Murakami (27), not Hiroto Saiki (27), who showcased a powerful performance against Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers, will be the starting pitcher for the opening game.

Japanese media outlet Nikkan Sports reported on the 27th that "Hanshin manager Kyuji Fujikawa announced that Shouki Murakami will be the starting pitcher for the opening game against Hiroshima at Matsuda Zoom Zoom Stadium on the 28th." Murakami, who impressed with overwhelming pitching in a practice game against the Dodgers, not Saiki, will take on the important role of opening game starter.

Saiki is a right-handed pitcher who has recorded 33 wins, 20 losses, and 3 holds in 80 games (433⅓ innings) in Nippon Professional Baseball, with an earned run average of 2.41. Although he did not achieve remarkable success early in his career after joining in 2016, he emerged as a key starting pitcher for Hanshin with outstanding performances starting in 2022. Last season, he recorded 13 wins, 3 losses, and an earned run average of 1.83 in 25 games (167⅔ innings), marking a career high.

The speculation about Saiki's entry into Major League Baseball gained momentum thanks to a practice game held against the Dodgers ahead of the Tokyo Series opening. Saiki started on the 16th in a practice game at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, where he pitched 5 innings, allowing only 1 hit, 1 walk, and recording 7 strikeouts without allowing a run. He overwhelmed the Dodgers lineup, which included star players such as Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Tommy Edman, Will Smith, and Michael Conforto, leaving everyone surprised.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts praised Saiki, saying, "His stuff is Major League caliber. The velocity is good, and the splitter was impressive as well." Media outlets in the United States also marveled at Saiki's pitches. The Athletic noted, "Today, Hiroto Saiki was unbelievably impressive," while Dodgers Blue commented, "In the Seoul Series, Hyeseong Kim (Dodgers) surprised the Dodgers scouts. Today, they will be amazed by Hiroto Saiki. How much would it cost to get Saiki on a flight to Los Angeles?" suggesting that they should already start making efforts to acquire Saiki.

Despite leaving a strong impression on baseball fans worldwide, Saiki could not earn the honor of starting pitcher for the opening game. This is because Hanshin has another top-tier ace comparable to Saiki. Murakami, who led Hanshin to victory in place of Saiki, will take to the mound as the opening game starter.

Murakami, who joined Hanshin in 2020, is a right-handed pitcher who has recorded 17 wins, 18 losses, and 1 hold in 49 games (303⅓ innings) in Nippon Professional Baseball, with an earned run average of 2.43. In 2023, he recorded 10 wins, 6 losses, and 1 hold with an earned run average of 1.75 in 22 games (144⅓ innings), contributing to Hanshin's victory in the Japan Series for the first time in 38 years. After the season, he won both the league MVP and Rookie of the Year awards, becoming the third player in the history of Nippon Professional Baseball to achieve this feat. Last season, he posted a somewhat disappointing performance with 7 wins, 11 losses, and an earned run average of 2.58 over 25 games (153⅔ innings).

Manager Fujikawa expressed his confidence in Murakami, saying, "We have thoroughly prepared for about 5 months. The fact that we have prepared to this extent is evidence of his excellence as our team's ace. His last pitching performance was excellent. Therefore, I believe he is really in a position to confidently take the mound in tomorrow's game."

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