Japanese baseball returns to field after COVID-19 delay

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PART AUDIO QUALITY AS INCOMING

SHOWS:

YOKOHAMA, JAPAN (JUNE 2, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

1. YOKOHAMA DeNA BAYSTARS BASEBALL TEAM PRACTICING AT YOKOHAMA STADIUM

2. BAYSTARS PLAYERS ON FIELD

3. VARIOUS OF BAYSTARS STAFF WEARING MASKS ON FIELD

4. BAYSTARS COACH WEARING MASK

5. VARIOUS OF PLAYERS WALKING PASS

6. COACH WEARING MASK

7. VARIOUS OF EMPTY SEATS IN STADIUM

8. BAYSTARS STAFF MEMBER WEARING MASK AND GLOVES

9. VARIOUS OF BAYSTARS CATCHER HIKARU ITOH PRACTICNG HITTING

10. VARIOUS OF BAYSTARS COACHES WEARING MASKS

11. PLAYERS PRACTICING

12. PITCHING COACH PITCHING

13. PLAYERS HITTING

14. MANAGER ALEX RAMIREZ SPEAKING TO COACHES, WEARING MASKS

15. RAMIREZ SPEAKING TO MEDIA

16. (SOUNDBITE) (English) YOKOHAMA DeNA BAYSTARS MANAGER, ALEX RAMIREZ, SAYING:

"I just want the guys to go out there and play and do the best they can do. Just stay in control of themselves and then we will see what happens. I am not expecting too much from them and I just want them to stay in control of themselves."

17. VARIOUS OF EMPTY STANDS

18. PLAYERS HITTING

19. TOHOKU RAKUTEN GOLDEN EAGLES PLAYERS LOOKING ON

20. BAYSTARS PLAYER FIELDING

21. COACHES FROM BAYSTARS AND GOLDEN EAGLES BOWING TO ONE ANOTHER

22. VARIOUS OF WOMEN CHECKING MEMBER OF MEDIA'S TEMPERATURE AS HE ARRIVES AT STADIUM

23. MOUNTED THERMOMETER TO READ ARRIVALS' TEMPERATURE

24. VARIOUS OF WOMEN WELCOMING ARRIVALS AND APPLYING THEM WITH ALCOHOL SPRAY

25. VARIOUS OF WOMEN WEARING FACE SHIELDS WELCOMING MEMBERS OF MEDIA

26. VARIOUS OF SHUT TICKET BOOTHS

27. VARIOUS OF BAYSTARS FAN LOOKING AT EMPTY SHOP OUTSIDE STADIUM

STORY: Japan's top baseball players got their first taste of competitive action on Tuesday (June 2), more than 10 weeks after the scheduled start of the season, as warm-up matches were held across the country.

Nippon Professional Baseball will stage its first competitive matches on June 19, albeit in empty stadiums, as the Japanese government lifts coronavirus restrictions that delayed the season from its March 20 start.

All 12 teams were due to hold practice games on Tuesday, including the reigning Japan Series champions, Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, and last year's Central League champions Yomiuri Giants.

This season's schedule, which has been reduced to 120 games, has been devised to limit the amount teams need to travel in hopes of reducing the risk of infection.

Yokohama DeNA BayStars held their first game against Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in an empty stadium with only limited media and officials allowed to attend.

Everyone entering Yokohama Stadium had their temperature taken and were required to answer questions about their health.

None of the players wore masks but all members of both teams' coaching and support staff did.

BayStars manager Alex Ramirez said that despite playing in an empty stadium and suffering from a delayed start to the season his players needed to just focus on what they can control.

(Production: Jack Tarrant)