◆Nippon Life Interleague Series 2026: Hiroshima vs. Nippon-Ham (June 3rd, Mazda Stadium)

Nippon-Ham 's pitcher Leo Shibata will make his first start of the season in the game against Hiroshima on the 4th (at Mazda Stadium). The 20-year-old, who was the first overall pick in the 2024 draft and is a two-way player, vowed to excel in both pitching and hitting, saying, "It's about how I'm doing as a two-way player. I want to get results in both."

In his second year this season, he dominated the minor leagues, recording two wins in seven games (five of which were starts), ERA 0.73, and striking out 30 strike out in 24 2/3 innings. He also played in 39 games as hitter, hitting .170 with two Home Run.

Manager Shinjo expressed his expectations, saying, "I want you to hit two home runs. I'd like you to go up to 6 innings, and if the pitch count is low, I'd like you to go up to 7 innings. I want you to make plays like something out of a manga." He responded, "I want to hit (home run) too. First of all, since I'm starting, I want to pitch a solid game and win. As for batting, I'll just hope that I get good results." He aims to achieve his first professional win and first professional Home Run, something that even the team's legend, Shohei Ohtani, hasn't accomplished.