Rakuten Eagles Eagles pitcher Kosei Shoji (25) expressed his determination on the 7th to outpitch his respected The Giants, Norimoto. He is scheduled to start in the game against The Giants on the 8th (Rakuten Eagles Mobile). His opponent in that game will be Norimoto of The Giants, who played for Rakuten Eagles until last season. He expressed his joy at facing his former teammate, saying, "He is the senior player who has helped me the most, and he has been a guiding light for me since I turned pro, so I feel honored to be able to pitch against him." However, he is not going to give up the win. "I absolutely do not want to lose, and I want to stand on mound longer than Nori (Norimoto)," he said, showing his fighting spirit.

For the second consecutive day, Hanshin Tigers game (Koshien) was canceled due to rain. With the team currently on a three-game losing streak, expectations are high. "I'm focusing solely on winning and giving it my all. Rather than looking ahead, I want to pitch each inning well." He aims to win against his respected senior teammate and secure his fifth win, tying his career high. (Kota Miyauchi)