Yakult Swallows infielder Jose Osuna was reinstated to the first team on May 12 for the game against the Hanshin Tigers at Jingu Stadium.
He had been removed from the active roster on April 28 for further adjustments. During his time with the farm team, he appeared in five games, recording one hit in 12 at-bats. Osuna focused on correcting his body mechanics and bat angle, stating, “I worked on improving my technique and making adjustments. It was a good period for me to refresh.”
On April 16, during a game against the DeNA BayStars at Jingu Stadium, Osuna’s bat slipped out of his hands during a swing and struck umpire Kawakami on the left side of the head. The previous day, on May 11, the Nippon Professional Baseball Executive Committee decided to implement penalties for dangerous swings starting May 12. Under the new rule, if a batter fails to hold onto the bat throughout the swing and throws it (including accidental slips), measures such as warnings or ejection may be taken. Osuna commented, “Now that the rule is in effect, I will be careful and make sure to avoid such incidents.”
