Tomoyuki Sugano of the Colorado Rockies and Yusei Kikuchi of the Los Angeles Angels have joined Samurai Japan for their training camp in Miyazaki ahead of the World Baseball Classic (WBC). Both players expressed a strong sense of duty and commitment to representing their country, with Sugano emphasizing the importance of performance and Kikuchi noting a heightened determination as they prepare for their games. Despite the long 16-hour flight from Arizona, they showed no signs of fatigue on their first day, demonstrating their readiness to compete at a high level.

Upon their return to Japan, Sugano immediately started warming up in the bullpen, throwing a total of 39 pitches including breaking balls. He acknowledged the limited time to get prepared and expressed his intention to deliver solid results, especially considering this is his return to WBC competition where he hopes to start. Kikuchi, who expressed excitement about making his debut in the national team, stated that despite his recent arrival, he felt largely unaffected by jet lag, having engaged in intense physical activity shortly after landing.

Both players are eager to contribute to Samurai Japan's goal of defending their WBC title. Kikuchi declared that this opportunity is crucial, potentially his first and last chance to compete on such a prestigious stage, aiming to live up to fan expectations of success. Manager Hirokazu Ibata had initially hoped for their participation later in the training sessions, but their early addition is viewed positively as the tournament approaches, highlighting the team's growing anticipation for the competition ahead.