On October 3rd from 18:00, the 25th game between the Chiba Lotte Marines and Fukuoka Softbank will be held at Zozo Marine Stadium.

【Head-to-head record】Chiba Lotte Marines (5th) vs Fukuoka Softbank (1st) 6 wins, 17 losses, 1 draw

【Probable Starters】
Chiba Lotte Marines: pitcher Yuki Karakawa 1 game, 0 wins, 1 loss, ERA 7.20
Fukuoka Softbank: pitcher Haru Matsumoto 21 games, 12 wins, 3 losses, ERA 2.76

For the Chiba Lotte Marines, pitcher Yuki Karakawa will start in his retirement game. This season in the farm league, he appeared in 17 games, recording an ERA of 3.56 and a record of 7 wins and 7 losses. Attention will be on what kind of performance he shows in his final appearance, a pitch that marks the conclusion of his 19-year professional career. In the lineup, Koki Yamaguchi hit his 34th home run on the 1st, putting him on the verge of his 35th, which would tie the club record since moving to Chiba. Can he add a flourish to the veteran's retirement?

On the other hand, for Fukuoka Softbank, pitcher Haru Matsumoto will start aiming for his 13th win, which would tie for the league lead. He has continued to deliver stable pitching in the second half of the season and is currently on a personal 4-game winning streak. This time as well, he hopes to draw support from the powerful lineup that has surpassed 700 runs this season and secure a victory.

Text by Minagi Niwa