The "Nippon Life Interleague Series 2026" will begin on the 26th. Each team will play 18 games in total, three against six teams they don't normally play against. The key player for Orix Buffaloes is outfielder Ryoma Nishikawa (31). The man who "knows the Central League inside and out," having played for Hiroshima until 2023, will be looking to unleash a string of powerful hits in his former home ground this season.

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In interleague games, where pitcher only face most pitchers once a season, Nishikawa's experience in Central League is a significant advantage. In 2012, his first year after transferring from Hiroshima as a free agent, he posted a batting average of .314, ranking 10th overall, and in 2013, he rose to .328, ranking 7th overall. In the game Yakult on June 21st of that year (at Jingu Stadium), he hit a leadoff hitter run off Yoshimura, demonstrating his ability to fully utilize the advantage of knowing the characteristics of opposing pitcher.

In his 11th professional season this year, Nishikawa got off to a great start with a batting average of .318 in March and April. "There are good times and bad times. I'm good at switching gears throughout the season," he said, and he has never gone three or more consecutive games without hit. In 2021, Orix Buffaloes won the interleague championship for the first time in 11 years, and carried that momentum to win the league championship for the first time in 25 years. If Nishikawa can keep the team going with consistent hitting, just like in the regular season, it should give them momentum going into the upcoming battles.

"My job is to bring runner home when they're in scoring position." This talented hitter recorded a batting average of over .300 four times in eight years, including seasons when he didn't reach the required number of plate appearances during his time with Hiroshima. He will continue to be a threat to the Central League in 2026.

◆ Ryoma Nishikawa (Ryoma Nishikawa) Born December 10, 1994, in Izumo City, Shimane. Raised in Osaka City. 31 years old. He served as captain of Fukui's Tsuruga Kehi and appeared in the Koshien in the spring of 2012, his third year. After playing for Oji, he joined Hiroshima as the 5th pick in the 2015 draft. In 2017, he represented Japan U-24 in the Asian Championship. In 2019, when he converted from third baseman to outfielder, he reached the required plate appearances for the first time, and in July of the same year, he set a team record with four first-inning leadoff hitter Home Run. In the 2023 offseason, he transferred to Orix Buffaloes as a free agent. His father, who loved history, named it after Ryoma Sakamoto. 178 cm, 83 kg. He throws right, bats left. Estimated annual salary: 400 million yen. number７。

◆ Orix Buffaloes Interleague Series Schedule

▽May 26-28 DeNA (Yokohama Stadium)

▽ Chunichi the 29th to the 31st (Kyocera Dome Osaka)

▽June 2-4 The Giants (Tokyo Dome)

▽June 5-7 Hiroshima (Mazda Stadium)

▽June 9-11 Yakult (Kyocera Dome Osaka)

▽June 12-14 Hanshin Tigers (Kyocera Dome Osaka)