◆Nippon Life Interleague Series 2026 Rakuten Eagles vs. The Giants (9th -Rakuten Eagles Mobile is the strongest)
Rakuten Eagles announced starting line-up for the game against The Giants on the 9th.
The team, which has lost three straight games, has reshuffled its lineup. Hideto Asamura infielder and Naoki Sato outfielder will return to the lineup at starting line-up. They’ll face off against The Giants and Takahiro Norimoto pitcher. They’ll take on the challenge of defeating the right-hander, who played for Rakuten Eagles until last year.
Starting mound pitcher Kosei Shoji. Expectations are high for pitch number 19, who is aiming for his fifth win of the season.
Below is Rakuten Eagles 's starting line-up.
[Rakuten Eagles]
Number 1, Right Fielder: Sato
Number 2, Center Fielder: Tatsumi
Third baseman Taira
Number 4, first baseman: Asamura
5th batter, second baseman: Kurokawa
Number 6, DH McCusker
Number 7, Shortstop: Murabayashi
Number 8, catcher Ota
Number 9, left fielder Nakajima
pitcher Shoji
![[Photo] Announcer Ayako Kisa makes a funny face! Also Rakuten Eagles her husband, Rakuten GM Kazuhisa Ishii, and former Yakult manager Takatsu.](https://hochi.news/images/2025/12/13/20251213-OHT1I51403-L.jpg)
![[Scoreboard] Rakuten Eagles vs. The Giants](/asset/img/news/source/logo_hochi.png){kind=logo}
![[Rakuten Eagles] "I'll stay on mound longer than Nori (Norimoto)": Kosei Shoji to face off against former teammate Norimoto Takahiro, calling him a "guidepost"...starting in the game against The Giants on the 9th.](https://hochi.news/images/2026/06/08/20260608-OHT1I51342-C.jpg)
![[Rakuten Eagles] "I don't want to lose..." Kosei Shoji faces off against The Giants' Takahiro Norimoto, determined to outpitch his "senior who has helped me the most."](https://hochi.news/images/2026/06/08/20260608-OHT1I51358-C.jpg)
![[Rakuten Eagles] Lineup revamped to stop losing streak; Yoshiaki Watanabe and Daisuke Nakashima to start; Hideto Asamura to start on the starting line-up; Takahisa Hayakawa to pitch.](https://hochi.news/images/2026/06/06/20260606-OHT1I51204-C.jpg)
![[Rakuten Eagles] Manager Yoshihito Yoshii points out the issues: "We haven't sorted things out..." Despite being 18 games behind and in last place, his record since taking over is 13 wins and 14 losses... Looking ahead to the second half of the season, he says, "We need to move up" and "Develop young players."](https://hochi.news/images/2026/07/28/20260728-OHT1I51176-L.jpg)
![[Rakuten Eagles] Manager Masato Yoshii plans a six-day rotation for the second half of the season: "We'll decide on the standings of (starters) and shorten their appearances..." With a record of 13 wins and 14 losses since taking over, the team aims to improve in the second half.](https://hochi.news/images/2026/07/27/20260727-OHT1I51168-L.jpg)
