Yakult Swallows infielder Jose Osuna, 33, returned to the first team on May 12 after being removed from the active roster on April 28 due to a batting slump.
In 25 games since the start of the season, Osuna hit .247 with two home runs and 10 RBIs. During a game against the DeNA BayStars on April 16 at Jingu Stadium, his bat slipped out of his hands during a swing and struck umpire Takuto Kawakami in the left side of the head. The umpire was rushed to the hospital, underwent emergency surgery, and has not yet regained consciousness.
Following this incident, the 12 Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) teams and the league’s executive committee approved a new policy on May 11 to issue warnings and potentially eject batters for “dangerous swings.” This applies to cases where a batter fails to hold onto the bat throughout the swing and throws it away during the motion, including bats slipping out mid-swing.
On the same day the new rule took effect, Osuna held batting practice before the game against the Hanshin Tigers at Jingu Stadium, displaying a noticeably more compact swing than before. After each swing, he made an effort to keep both hands on the bat and maintain a firm grip.
“Acknowledging the accident and the rule change, I have to improve in that area,” Osuna said with a serious expression.