On the 2nd, Tomotaka Sakaguchi and Masaki Saito appeared on "Professional baseball News 2026" broadcast on Fuji TV ONE and mentioned Rakuten Eagles 's Rui Muneyama.

Sakaguchi expressed high expectations, saying, "He is definitely a player the team is considering as a regular starter. He showed that level of ability last year, so I don't think he'll need to raise his overall statistics this year, but if he can raise his numbers steadily, I think he'll be a reliable presence at short stop for the next few years. It's only his second year, but he's playing short stop, so I want him to lead the team well."

Saito Masaki also expressed his expectations, saying, "There's a second-year jinx. I think there are some people for whom things don't go well, but if that happens to him, it will be a big problem for Rakuten Eagles. As Sakaguchi said, I hope he does his best to reach his career high in everything."

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