Nippon-Ham Ham Fighters manager Tsuyoshi Shinjo praises first-round draft pick Okawa for his perfect first-inning “ESC debut” – “You don’t have to get used to the Kamagaya mound” | Pacific League

[Nippon-Ham] Manager Tsuyoshi Shinjo praises first-round draft pick Okawa for his perfect first-inning “ESCON debut” – “You don’t have to get used to the Kamagaya mound”

Sports Hochi

March 7, 2026 17:59

Open game Nippon-Ham 5-3 Lotte (7th, Escond)

　日本ハムの新庄剛志監督（５４）が１回完全投球で“エスコンデビュー”を飾ったドラフト１位ルーキー・大川慈英投手（２２）＝明大＝を高評価した。最速１５１キロを計測し、１回１奪三振無失点に抑えた右腕へ「もっともっとやれますね、彼は。もっともっとキレ、球速じゃなくて、キレのあるボールをもっともっと投げられると思うので、その辺は期待したい。早くエスコンのマウンドにも慣れてほしいし、鎌ケ谷のマウンドは慣れなくていい」と称賛し、さらなる成長を求めた。

He plans to reliever, and expressed his hope that “he’ll want to pitch as closer, and he needs to have that kind of mindset.”