Japanese baseball sees Fujinami’s struggles and Giants’ Wittty’s strong start

Commentator Takashi Takagi praised DeNA pitcher Shintaro Fujinami’s raw talent, noting his fastball still tops 160 km/h and saying, “I’m fascinated by his potential.” He highlighted Fujinami’s recent registration, a debut against the Giants where he issued three walks in the first inning, surrendered three runs over three innings, and was deregistered the next day. Takagi warned that Fujinami’s control remains his biggest weakness, adding that “if he fixes it, he could win 20 games.”

Meanwhile, Giants left‑hander Forrest Wittty started against the Chunichi Dragons at Tokyo Dome, striking out 11 batters and allowing just one hit through five innings. He left after six innings having given up a run and two walks, including a hit‑by‑pitch that sparked a rally. The Giants later won on a walk‑off home run by Hayato Sakamoto. Wittty expressed disappointment over the sixth inning, saying, “I’m angry at myself,” but also praised Sakamoto’s clutch hit, noting, “I helped set the stage for that moment.”