NHK's news program "Close-up Gendai" (NHK General, Monday-Wednesday 7:30 p.m.) will feature players active in Major League Baseball in its March 30th broadcast titled "Major League Season Begins! Shohei Ohtani's Evolution and the Future of His Challenge to Overcoming the 'Infielder's Barrier'."
With 14 Japanese players on the roster just before the season opener, expectations for success in Major League Baseball are higher than ever. The key to the Dodgers' quest for a third consecutive championship lies in their starting rotation. We conduct exclusive interviews to get a closer look at the progress of Shohei Ohtani, who aims for a complete return to his two-way playing style throughout the season, and Roki Sasaki, who is in his second year with the team and aiming to establish himself in the starting rotation.
Furthermore, we'll focus on the "infielder barrier," a position where Japanese players have long been considered difficult to overcome. We'll look ahead to this season, including the progress of powerful infielders Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto, who crossed the ocean this year.
The Caster will be hosted by announcer Maho Kuwako, and former Saitama Seibu Lions manager and Major League Baseball player Kazuo Matsui will appear as a guest.
