Jose Osuna, a foreign pitcher for the Yakult Swallows, was registered to the first team on May 12, just before a home game against the Hanshin Tigers at Meiji Jingu Stadium in Tokyo. This marks his first activation since being removed from the roster on April 28.
While the official reason for his absence was poor hitting, it was widely seen as a period of self-reflection. Osuna is the batter who threw his bat, striking umpire Takuya Kawakami in the head during a game on April 16 against the Yokohama DeNA BayStars. The violent swing caused the bat to slip from his hands, hitting the umpire squarely on the left side of his head. Kawakami collapsed and underwent emergency surgery but has yet to regain consciousness.
Although unintentional, the incident sparked outrage and concern, highlighting the dangers of excessive swings. The umpire was only 30 years old and was making his first-team debut, adding to the tragedy.
Osuna, visibly shaken, posted on his personal X account shortly after the incident: “I am truly, sincerely sorry. I sincerely hope for the umpire’s recovery.” He later deleted the account and was removed from the first team, effectively serving a period of self-discipline.
In response, NPB immediately mandated protective helmets for all umpires and introduced emergency rules effective May 12. Under the new regulations, batters who make dangerous swings—such as releasing the bat during the swing—face a warning. If the bat hits another person, or if a batter commits two dangerous swings in the same game, they are ejected immediately. The rule was unanimously approved by all 12 teams.
Yakult’s decision to call up Osuna on the very first day of the new rule sparked debate among fans. Both the club and Osuna have remained tight-lipped about the incident.
Interestingly, in his return game, Osuna took the mound as a pitcher—a rare sight for a hitter. With Yakult trailing 0-10 in the top of the ninth inning, he pitched, throwing fastballs up to 141 km/h and allowing no additional runs.