◆Nippon Life Interleague Series 2026 Rakuten Eagles vs. The Giants (11th, Rakuten Eagles Mobile Saikyo Park)

Rakuten Eagles ・ Hikaru Ota catcher (29) met the eligibility requirements for domestic free agency (FA) on the 11th. “First and foremost, I would like to thank the managers and coaches who have given me opportunities, as well as my teammates and family who have supported me,” he commented. “Moving forward, as a member of the catcher, I will do my best to contribute to the team by cherishing every game and every pitch.”

Ota joined Rakuten Eagles in 2018 as the second overall pick in the draft from Osaka Commercial University. He played in 55 games in his first year and has been active, using his accurate throwing and other skills as his strengths.

Prior to this game, he had played in 53 games this season, with a batting average of .235, one Home Run, and seven RBI.