Yutaka Takagi and Hatsuhiko Tsuji, who appeared on 'Professional baseball News 2026' broadcast on Fuji TV ONE on the 17th, gave their outlook on the Japan Series between the Softbank Hawks and DeNA starting on the 24th.

This year's Japan Series features the same matchup as two years ago. At that time, DeNA was crowned the national champion with 4 wins and 2 losses. This year, the Softbank Hawks finished the regular season with 91 wins, 49 losses, and 3 draws to win the league title, while DeNA finished in 3rd place with 71 wins, 69 losses, and 3 draws—the exact same records for both teams as two years ago.

From the perspective of DeNA fans, one would want to expect them to become the best in Japan again this time, but Mr. Takagi pointed out the difference from two years ago, saying, 'However, at that time, we were beaten by Yamakawa in the first and second games. He hit a home run, and then DeNA re-examined the data. After that, they started to act as a closer against Yamakawa and pulled in the win. This year, Yuudai Yamamoto has that data, so it is a question of what they will do.'

For the Softbank Hawks, this will be an opportunity for revenge from two years ago. Tsuji said, 'We will go there with our heads held high. There is no doubt about their strength. Both the lineup and the bullpen are good. They can execute their strategy precisely. Whether it is scoring a single run or mounting a continuous attack, the players can make various flows a reality. That is likely their strength.'

☆ Cooperation: Fuji TV ONE "Professional baseball News 2026"