The 2025 NPB season is a little over a week old, and a pair of rookie players with a lot riding on their shoulders are off to fast starts.
Seibu Lions outfielder Seiya Watanabe has hit the ground running with a .407 average that ranks third among all NPB players. Watanabe had multihit performances in four of his first seven games, including going 3-for-3 in a win over the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks on Friday night.
“I’ve got some confidence in this part of my game,” he told Nikkan Sports on Friday. “There are around 140 games left, so I need to stay focused and keep improving.”
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