On May 30th at 14:00, the second round of the "Nippon Life Central League-Pacific Interleague 2026" between Tohoku Rakuten Eagles and Tokyo Yakult will be held at Rakuten Eagles Mobile Saikyo Park Miyagi.

[Head-to-head Record] Tohoku Rakuten Eagles (Pacific League, 6th place) vs. Tokyo Yakult (Central tied 1st) 0 wins, 1 loss

[Announced Starting Lineup]
Tohoku Rakuten Eagles: Takahisa Hayakawa pitcher 6 games, 3 wins, 0 losses, ERA 1.43
Tokyo Yakult: Hirotoshi Takanashi pitcher 8 games, 4 wins, 1 loss, ERA 2.39

Tohoku Rakuten Eagles, who have lost four straight games in interleague play, moved to mound with Takahisa Hayakawa pitcher starting. This season, he has pitched in six games so far, each recording an HQS and an impressive pitch. In interleague play, he started 7 games over three years starting in 2023, pitching 45.1 inning with a 4-1 record and a ERA of 1.59 (earned runs 8). 25.1 inning Consecutive Scoreless runs Opponent, Entering a Strong Phase This match aims to build even more momentum.

In interleague play, the lineup has struggled with scoring ability in all four games so far, scoring two or fewer, so could Yoshiaki Watanabe players be the catalyst? This season, he played in 29 games and posted an impressive .297 batting average. In the Tokyo Yakult game, he boasts a strong match with 24 At Bat 9 hit over 10 games, batting .375. Also, Hironori Takanashi pitcher, who has maintained a stable pitch with a ERA 2.39 in eight games this season, has allowed Home Run all from left-handed hitter this season. I hope for a shot that will change the momentum.

Text by Ao Yokoyama