NPB teams are working on ways to protect their players and fans from the country’s sweltering summer heat.
On June 27, Tatsuya Imai, an ace for the Saitama Seibu Lions in the Pacific League, was replaced after suffering heatstroke while pitching during a game held at the team’s Belluna Dome in the city of Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture, against the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.
The stadium, which has a roof but no outer walls, lacks an air-conditioning system that covers all corners of the facility.
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