The Rakuten Eagles got off to a slow start this season but came together as a team during interleague play under first-year manager Toshiaki Imae.
Manager Toru Oniki's club has played 12 games this season, winning 10 times and earning two draws.
In these turbulent times, nothing seems certain. But a sense of normalcy returned to Nippon Professional Baseball and this baseball-crazed nation on Friday, aka Opening Day....