Carp Place Tokoda on Injured List with Shoulder Tightness

The Hiroshima Toyo Carp have removed starting pitcher Hiroki Tokoda from the active roster after he reported tightness in his left shoulder.

Manager Takahiro Arai said the club will wait for the results of a medical examination scheduled for August 7 before deciding on Tokoda’s recovery timeline.

“He has tightness in his left shoulder. We’ll see what the examination shows before making any decisions.”

Tokoda has been one of Hiroshima’s most reliable starters this season. In 16 starts, the 31-year-old has posted a 4–4 record with a 2.56 ERA, leading the club in starts.

According to the team, the discomfort first appeared after his July 31 outing against the Chunichi Dragons, where he allowed just one run over seven innings and helped the Carp to a comeback victory.

Although Tokoda continued training afterward, he was forced to withdraw from his scheduled start against the Yokohama DeNA BayStars.

His absence comes at a difficult time as Hiroshima attempts to climb back into the Central League playoff race.

There is also encouraging news for the Carp rotation. Masato Morishita is expected to return to the first team for the upcoming BayStars series after completing his adjustment period in the farm league.

Meanwhile, Yuta Suzuki is scheduled to start on August 9, with the coaching staff confirming that he will work as a conventional starter rather than as an opener.

The severity of Tokoda’s injury remains unknown, and the club is expected to provide an update after the medical examination.