On the 13th, Softbank Hawks manager Hiroki Kokubo announced that he would entrust pitcher Liván Moinelo with the start for the first game. The final stage of the Climax Series (CS) begins on the 14th. A full team practice was held at Mizuho PayPay Dome, and Kokubo appeared at a pre-game press conference alongside player representative Ryoya Kurihara.

The opponent has been decided as Nippon-Ham for the third consecutive year. Based on the regular season results, they are already in a position with two wins, but he tightened his resolve, saying, 'I think the first game is more important than anything. We just have to have Moinelo do his best.'

The left-hander pitched in the first game and the sixth game on four days' rest during last season's CS Final Stage. He delivered a strong performance, allowing only 1 runs over a total of 14 innings, and was crowned the CS MVP. The manager expressed high expectations, stating, 'I believe the key players are the starting pitcher. I want them to pitch as representatives of the team with the goal of setting the tone for the game.' Following him, players who achieved double-digit win this season, such as Uwasawa, Yu Maeda, and Haru Matsumoto, will follow. The team aims to demonstrate their strength in both pitching and hitting to reach the Japan Series for the third consecutive year.