◆Nippon Life Interleague Series 2026: DeNA Rakuten Eagles (June 2nd, Yokohama)

Rakuten Eagles announced on the 2nd that infielder Daichi Suzuki (36) will be appointed as captain.

Dai Suzuki joined Rakuten Eagles in the 2019 offseason. He is the oldest fielder on the team and has a reputation for strong leadership. He enjoys the trust of the coaching staff and his teammates. The team had abolished the captain system since manager Hajime Miki took over in 2013, but they entrusted the important responsibility to the veteran at an unusual time, mid-season.

Dai Suzuki said with determination, "The coach asked me to take on the role of captain. The team is going through a tough time, and nothing may change immediately after I become captain, but now that I've taken on the role, I truly believe it's not a position to give up on. I want to stand firmly at the forefront so that the team can move forward. However, I don't think what I need to do will change from before, so I will do my best as a player, and even when I'm not playing in a match, I hope to be able to support the other players more effectively. Thank you for your support."

Currently, the team is languishing at the bottom of the standings, having suffered six consecutive losses since the start of the interleague games. They are determined to overcome this difficult situation by uniting under the leadership of their new captain.