◆ His clutch hitting was instrumental in winning the interleague series.

Seibu Lions win game against Hanshin Tigers on the 16th, securing their first-ever interleague championship. On the 16th, CS Fuji TV ONE's "Pro baseball News" program featured commentators who each selected their MVP for the most impressive fielder of the interleague series.

Tomotaka Sakaguchi and Mitsuru Manaka both named Shinya Hasegawa. In the latter stages of the interleague series, he demonstrated his clutch hitting ability by delivering game-winning hits in three consecutive games, and with a hitter average of .367, he has almost certainly secured the batting title. Sakaguchi praised him, saying, "defense is also good. He fits the team's style of winning through defense, and he hit really well in the interleague series. He gave the team momentum and decided games for us." Manaka also praised his performance, saying, "He delivered game-winning hits in crucial situations. He's the batting hitter of the interleague series, and it looks like this momentum will continue."

Meanwhile, Akihiko Oya mentioned Masayuki Kuwahara a mood-maker for the team. "He really boosted the team's morale. He came to Seibu Lions as a free agent, and you could feel his desire to contribute to the team in any way he could. He took the lead among the younger players, and that led to the championship," he said, highly praising his presence.

Furthermore, Mr. Manaka and Mr. Oya also drew attention to the performance of Natsuo Takizawa. Mr. Manaka praised him, saying, "defense was excellent throughout the interleague games," and "He played his role well, getting on base, creating opportunities, and setting up the cleanup hitters." In addition, he highly praised Yuto Koga, who boasted a high batting average of .385 despite catcher, saying, "He did more than enough work at bat. He was able to hit in crucial situations and had a good attitude at the plate."

☆ Cooperation: Fuji TV ONE "Professional baseball News 2026"