Rakuten Monkeys' outfielder pitches for one batter in minor league game

In an unusual move during a minor league game, the Rakuten Monkeys' second-team squad brought in outfielder He Pin-Shih-jung to pitch to a single batter. The player faced one batter, threw five pitches, and secured a strikeout before being replaced.

Rakuten's vice general manager, Isoe Kouki, clarified that the decision was a spontaneous one. He explained that the team carefully manages its pitchers' innings and pitch counts throughout the season. The situation arose because the planned pitching rotation had been exceeded, necessitating a temporary, one-off pitching appearance from He Pin-Shih-jung.

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We have De Long.

Isoe Kouki humorously added that the team has no intention of developing He Pin-Shih-jung into a two-way player, stating, "We already have De Long." This suggests the team is satisfied with its current roster of pitchers. Manager Tseng Hao-chu also expressed surprise upon learning of the outfielder's pitching appearance, noting that while he was taken aback, the team prioritizes avoiding pitchers from positions other than pitcher due to injury concerns, especially for players they are actively developing.

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Seeing it, I was also surprised. We might need to ask the scouting department what the reason was. Actually, we hope to avoid position players pitching. If he pitches with full effort, there are concerns about injury, and he is also a player we are focusing on developing, so we need to consider that.