In the hope that fans can enjoy Pacific League even on Mondays, when there are fewer games during the season, the YouTube LIVE streaming program "Mondays at Patere", which started last year, will begin again this year!

The program will feature a different professional baseball alumni each week, reviewing the week of Pacific League and providing a variety of unique Patere contents. This year, Sho Nakata will join last year's MC lineup, which includes Ryota Igarashi & Sho Nakata, Ginji & Yuji Kaneko, GG Sato & T-Okada, and Motonobu Tanishige & Tomoya Satosaki.

Prior to tomorrow's first distribution, we asked Ryota Igarashi, our regular MC, about the outlook for Pacific League and his partner this year, Sho Nakata!

*Date of interview: March 2, 2026

ーーThe Tsuki Pa program will finally begin again this year! In this program, we will be working with alumni throughout the season to make Pacific League more exciting with various projects. Igarashi-san, how do you read the prospects for this season's Pacific League?

"I am still struggling with the standings forecast, but I still think that Hokkaido Nippon-Ham and Fukuoka Softbank will be the two strongest. I'm not sure if Orix Buffaloes will come in there, for now.

The Fighters I think this year is the year we definitely want to win the championship, since we came very close last year, but didn't quite make it. On the contrary, The Hawks has never won three consecutive championships since the team name became "The Hawks". And since The Fighters has prevented them (3 consecutive championships) in the past, this year is an outstanding timing for The Fighters. The Fighters As for The Hawks, this is the year they absolutely have to win the championship, and as for , they have to win three consecutive championships, which they have not been able to do so far. I am especially looking forward to the regular season for these two teams.


In the March 2 edition of "Mondays at Patere Supported by FamilyMart," you mentioned Tatsuru Yanagimachi as one of your "favorite players of the year. What do you expect from Yanagimachi this season?

What do you expect from Yanagimachi this season? Now he has to be more consistent. Looking at The Hawks now, more and more players are looking for a long hit rate, so I am also looking forward to seeing how that will change. But first of all, I think it will be important to continue to maintain our condition from the beginning of the season. After all, you get tired in the second half of the season, so it will be important to be able to overcome that. Including that, it is important to keep playing without getting injured.


Mr. Igarashi's partner for this year's Gekijo was decided to be Sho Nakata. In the same program broadcast last August, you said, "I was hit a lot when I was active." What is your impression of "Sho Nakata the player"? (His record against him is 21 At Bat 7 hit, batting average .333, 2 Home Run, 4 struck out)

I was really scared of Sho Nakata when we played against him and he was standing on the bat. This can be said of all baseball players, but there are times when I feel that he is a little difficult to get into, or he can't concentrate. It was easy to see this in him, so it was really difficult to closer see him when he was concentrating and getting into it.

Also, in my first year back from the majors, he hit me home run. At that time, I thought that if I couldn't closer do that, I wouldn't be able to make it on Pacific League for a long time, and that's when I started seriously throwing the knuckle curve. That's why I was able to continue to pitch well at The Hawks because of his home run. He was such an impactful hitter.


Q. What are your expectations for "Sho Nakata," your partner in Tsukihi Pa?

He has been invited to various TV programs and has done commentary, so he has a lot of experience. It's been six years since I retired, and I think I'm getting used to it, but I think he's getting used to it too, so I'm going to adapt myself to him! （T-Okada (with whom I teamed up last year) was rather passive, and that was what made him interesting, but I feel that Nakata is the complete opposite of that when I watch him on TV. I've seen the serious Sho Nakata on TV a lot, so I hope I can bring out the unserious Sho Nakata in Tsuki Pa (laughs)."


Lastly, do you have a message for the fans who are looking forward to Tsuki Pa?

I think that the way you look at baseball will change as your partner changes. This is Sho Nakata's first season since retiring, and his baseball views and technical theory are very appealing. He is a player who has always been at the top of his game, both defensively and hitting, so I think it will be a great inspiration for fans to hear what he has to say in real time now. Look forward to it!"

ーThank you very much! We look forward to seeing you at this year's Moon Pa!

Overview of the LIVE broadcast program "Monday is also Pate-tele"

• Streaming schedule: Every Monday at 9 PM (scheduled to continue until October during the season)
・Streaming destination: Pacific League TV official YouTube channel
• Cast: A different pair of former professional baseball players will appear each week.
(Ryota Igarashi and Sho Nakata, Ginji and Yuji Kaneko, GG Sato and T-Okada, Motonobu Tanishige and Tomoya Satozaki)

The first episode on Monday, March 30th will feature Motonobu Tanishige and Tomoya Satozaki. Don't miss it!