Xu Ruoxi returns to Japan's top league after injury, throwing 156 km/h.

Taiwanese pitcher Hsu Jo-hsi experienced a roller-coaster first season with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), ranging from rehabilitating injuries in the farm system and adjusting to the environment to returning to the top-tier squad at the end of the season. After successfully re-entering the first-team roster in October, he received continuous observation and practical tempering opportunities from the coaching staff. In a crucial regular-season game today, Hsu once again took the mound in relief during the latter stages of the game, pitching a total of two innings. Although he gave up one run, he displayed highly dominant fastballs throughout the outing, clocking a top speed of over 156 kilometers per hour, once again proving his healthy physical condition and top-tier pitching potential to the club and fans.

In this game, the SoftBank Hawks faced the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, and their matchup at the tail end of the season drew significant attention. Hsu was called upon during a middle-relief moment when the team needed to stabilize the situation, and he showed no fear when facing the formidable Rakuten lineup. Despite conceding a run during his outing, he showcased his strikeout ability and pitching velocity across his two innings of work, particularly with the 156-kilometer-per-hour fastball. This not only caught the eyes of scouts and fans at the stadium but also reaffirmed the "fireballer" traits he possessed in Taiwan's professional league prior to his move to Japan. However, the SoftBank bats were effectively shut down by the Rakuten pitching staff today, scoring only one run the entire game and ultimately losing 1 to 3.

Looking back at Hsu's development this season, it has been a year full of challenges and adaptations for the young Taiwanese right-hander. Since joining the Pacific League powerhouse SoftBank Hawks, the training intensity, game tempo, and long-distance travel schedule of Japanese professional baseball have posed considerable tests for any young player challenging overseas professional baseball for the first time. In particular, he encountered injury troubles mid-season, forcing him to spend a period in the minor leagues for rehabilitation and adjustment. Nevertheless, the SoftBank organization adopted a cautious and protective approach toward Hsu's development, avoiding undue haste and instead ensuring his arm fully recovered before gradually allowing him to pitch in the farm system to regain his game feel.

As the season draws to a close, Hsu's successful return to the top-tier roster in October holds symbolic significance for both his personal psychological building and the club's future strategic planning. Being able to take the mound and pitch on the fiercely competitive NPB first-team stage proves that his pitching skills and physical condition have reached the threshold of the NPB top tier. In today's game, his top speed of 156 kilometers per hour was not only one of his best performances in NPB thus far, but it also declared to the outside world that his shoulder is in fine condition and his velocity remains at a premier level. If such velocity can be steadily unleashed during a full future season, he will inevitably become an important wild card in the SoftBank Hawks' bullpen or starting rotation.

For the Taiwanese baseball community, every outing by Hsu is closely watched because he is an outstanding representative of Taiwan's new generation of pitchers. During his time in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL), he was renowned for his exceptional strikeout rate and fastballs with heavy life. Now, through the baptism of NPB's high-standard environment, he has achieved further growth in pitching strategy, pitch sequencing wisdom, and physical resilience. Although the SoftBank Hawks suffered a defeat today and Hsu surrendered a run, from the perspective of content, the display of velocity and the ability to eat up innings are both positive takeaways. As the season nears its end, Hsu has accumulated valuable first-team experience within limited playing opportunities, which will serve as the most solid foundation for him to seek greater breakthroughs next season.

(Source: Central News Agency)