Gu Lin Ruiyang throws career-fastest 160 km/h pitch, but manager Shinjo focuses on "no swing-and-miss"

Gu Lin Ruiyang, playing for Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, took the mound in a preseason game today. He pitched one inning in relief in the ninth without allowing a run and fired a career-fastest 160 km/h fastball. However, after the game, manager Shinjo Shinji noted he was more concerned that the pitch didn't make the batter swing and miss.

The match between the Fighters and Yakult ended in a 1-1 tie. Starting pitcher Yuhi Arihara threw four innings, allowing only one hit and no runs while striking out five, delivering a solid performance. After the game, manager Shinjo commented: "He performed so well that no further words are needed. He truly knows how to adjust, and I have no worries about him."

Arihara started as the opening day pitcher for SoftBank last year, when he pitched seven innings against Lotte, allowing seven runs and taking a loss. Manager Shinjo pointed out that such bitter experiences will instead become nourishment for this season.

After this game, the Fighters' preseason record stands at 8 wins, 4 losses, and 3 ties. As the Yomiuri Giants and Hanshin Tigers both lost on the same day, the Fighters and Giants share the top preseason winning percentage, achieving this for the second consecutive year. Manager Shinjo calmly responded: "It's fine. Even if we were 12th in preseason, it wouldn't matter. If there were bonuses, we'd fight hard, but there aren't any, right?"

Regarding Gu Lin Ruiyang, who threw his career-fastest 160 km/h pitch in the ninth inning, manager Shinjo evaluated: "He pitched very well. Catcher Shimizu Yushin also said 'it was super fast.' However, even though the speed approached 160 km/h, it didn't make the batter swing and miss, which is what I'm more focused on."

The end of preseason means the regular season is approaching. Looking ahead to the opening three-game series against SoftBank, manager Shinjo expressed confidence: "My only thought is to win all three games and return to our home field."