Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks infielder Keizo Kawashima, who is out indefinitely with ligament damage, said Wednesday he harbors no ill will against the former teammate who injured him.
Kawashima, who began his career with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, was taken out at second base on a slide by Kensuke Tanaka during Sunday's loss at Tokyo Dome and suffered ligament damage in his right ankle. The ankle will need to be immobilized for three weeks, and there is date set for when Kawashima can return to action.
Tanaka was booed by Hawks fans during his next trip to the plate, and social media was filled with strong opinions about Tanaka's play, which allowed the Fighters' first run to score in their come-from-behind win.
"I want everyone to understand that it was a case of both of us playing as hard as we could," Kawashima said in a visit to Yafuoku Dome, where he reported that Tanaka had expressed his regret.
"Kensuke-san has sent me supplements so that I might recover quickly," said Kawashima, who was removed from the Hawks 28-man active roster on Monday. "Now I want to make a speedy come back and do what's necessary to be recalled to the first team."