TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (北海道火腿鬥士) pitcher Gu Lin Ruei-Yang (古林睿煬) is expected to aim for his first career win in Japan's top baseball league on Thursday (May 1) when he faces the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (福岡軟銀鷹隊). Gu-Lin made his debut on April 23 against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (東北樂天金鷲), delivering 5.2 innings with five strikeouts, but allowed seven runs, leading to a loss.
Manager Shinjo Tsuyoshi praised Gu-Lin's performance, noting that his expression on the mound was relaxed and his rhythm was good. Shinjo also observed that Gu-Lin's control improved from the second to the fifth inning. Japanese media predict Kuo-Lin will start again on May 1, facing former Fighters player Uwasawa Naoyuki of the Hawks.
Uwasawa, who briefly played for the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox last year, returned to Japan's league during the offseason. He signed a four-year, 1 billion yen contract with the Hawks, equivalent to approximately NT$214 million. Gu-Lin's performance has been watched closely to see whether he can secure his first win in the top league on May 1.
