{"rewrite":{"id":"r_aa2e028816fd43ec637b03e5","clusterId":"c_1c921b988f4a5b9a4e6ae9d0","slug":"number-i-appears-at-mlb-ceremonial-first-pitch-roki-sasaki-catches-yuta-kishi-s-throw","model":"deepseek-v4-flash","headline":"Number_i Appears at MLB Ceremonial First Pitch, Roki Sasaki Catches Yuta Kishi's Throw","summary":"Number_i appeared at the ceremonial first pitch of the Dodgers vs. Cardinals game at Dodger Stadium on September 1. Yuta Kishi threw, and Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki caught the pitch without a bounce. Sasaki praised the throw as very fast. The group received Dodgers uniforms and championship rings.","whyItMatters":"The appearance places Number_i in a Major League Baseball setting as the group expands its US presence through WME and Atlantic Records deals.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eKishi chose jersey number 14, the same number he wore on his youth baseball team. Jinnai picked 8 because it spreads outward like a fan, which he called auspicious in Japanese culture. Hirano selected 4649, a pun on the Japanese phrase for nice to meet you.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe three also received Dodgers championship rings commemorating the 2024 and 2025 World Series victories. They watched batting practice and exchanged greetings with manager Dave Roberts. After the pitch landed in Sasaki\u0026#39;s glove, cheers rose from the crowd.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNumber_i debuted in January 2024 with the song GOAT. The group signed with WME in February 2026 and with Atlantic Records in May. Their first world tour starts in October 2026 with five dome shows in Japan.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"Number_i's ceremonial pitch at Dodger Stadium pairs Yuta Kishi's throw with Roki Sasaki's catch, a rare cross-over of J-pop idol and MLB pitcher. Sasaki's catch without a bounce adds a layer of skill to the moment.","twitterPost":"Yuta Kishi's ceremonial pitch, caught cleanly by Roki Sasaki, turns a PR moment into a genuine athletic exchange.","threadsPost":"Number_i's appearance at Dodger Stadium puts Yuta Kishi and Roki Sasaki in the same frame, a J-pop idol and an MLB pitcher trading a ceremonial pitch. Sasaki's catch without a bounce and his praise of the throw's speed turn a scripted moment into a real exchange.","newsletterBlurb":"Number_i appeared at a Dodgers game, where Yuta Kishi threw the ceremonial first pitch and Roki Sasaki caught it. The group also received uniforms and championship rings as they continue building their US presence.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"KAI-YOU\",\"url\":\"https://kai-you.net/article/96436\",\"title\":\"Number_i Appears at MLB Ceremonial First Pitch, Roki Sasaki Catches Yuta Kishi's Throw\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":4542,"outputTokens":524,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":null,"createdAt":"2026-09-03T04:09:51.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-09-03T04:12:23.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-03T04:12:23.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_1c921b988f4a5b9a4e6ae9d0","canonicalTitle":"Number_iがメジャーリーグの始球式に登場　岸優太の投球を佐々木朗希がキャッチ","representativeArticleId":"a_ab245db293079b799131f7dc","sourceCount":1,"writtenSourceCount":1,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":true,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[],\"studios\":[],\"people\":[\"岸優太\",\"佐々木朗希\"],\"type\":\"news\",\"domain\":\"other\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-09-03T03:18:00.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-09-03T03:18:00.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-03T04:12:23.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"KAI-YOU","url":"https://kai-you.net/article/96436","title":"Number_iがメジャーリーグの始球式に登場　岸優太の投球を佐々木朗希がキャッチ"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":[],"studios":[],"people":["岸優太","佐々木朗希"],"type":"news","domain":"other","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":null}