The first game of the "Nippon Life Interleague Series 2026" between Tokyo Yakult and Saitama Seibu Lions will be held at Jingu Stadium on May 26th at 6 PM.

[Last season's head-to-head record] Tokyo Yakult vs. Saitama Seibu Lions: 1 win, 2 losses

[Announced Starting Pitcher]
Tokyo Yakult: Kengo Matsumoto pitcher 7 games, 5 wins, 0 losses, ERA 2.08
Saitama Seibu Lions: Kaima Taira pitcher 7 games, 3 wins, 1 loss, ERA 0.80

The Saitama Seibu Lions currently sit in first place with a 27-20-1 record heading into the interleague series. Starting pitcher Kaima Taira, who will be pitching after a 10-day rest, boasts ERA and is expected to deliver another strong performance as the "opening day pitcher." Offensively, Canario had a great day on the 24th, hitting two Home Run. With a .292 batting average in May, will he continue his impressive hitter in the interleague series?

In addition, former Saitama Seibu Lions players such as Sho Yamanobe and Montel are currently with the first team. Furthermore, rookie Takumi Ishii is the younger brother of Kazunari Ishii. It will be interesting to see how these players with connections to the team play off each other.

Written by Kai Nagi Niwa