◆ Pacific League League: Lotte vs. Seibu Lions (27th, ZOZO Marine Stadium)

A showdown between Seibu Lions 's first-round draft pick, catcher Taiga Kojima, and Lotte's second-round draft pick, left-handed pitcher Kaito Mori is set to take place.

In this opening game, Kojima will starting line-up as the number 9 batter and catcher. He will be the first rookie to start starting line-up plate in an opening game for Seibu Lions in 20 years, since Ginjiro Sumitani in 2006. Mori, on the other hand, will be the starting pitcher for the opening game.

Kojima was drafted first overall by Seibu Lions in 2025, while Mori was drafted second overall by Lotte in the same year. The two were battery mates at Meiji University and led the team to their first championship in five seasons last fall.

starting line-up for both teams are as follows:

[Seibu Lions]

1 (left) Kuwabara

2 (1) Hasegawa

3 (center) Nishikawa

4 (Right) Canario

5 (DH) Tonosaki

6 (3) Watanabe

7 (Shortstop) Genda

8 (2) Takizawa

9 (Captive) Kojima

Starting pitcher: Yutaro Watanabe

[Lotte]

1 (Junior High) High School

2 (Right) Fujiwara

3 (Left) Nishikawa

4 (DH) Polanco

5 (3) Terachi

6 (1) Outside

7 (2) Ikeda

8 (Catcher) Matsukawa

9 (shortstop) Ogawa

Starting pitcher: Kaito Mori