◆ Pacific League League: Rakuten Eagles (19th, ZOZO Marine Stadium)

Rakuten Eagles Eagles manager Masato Yoshii will take charge of his first game since taking the helm on the 19th. He arrived at the stadium a little after 2:30 p.m. that day. He then appeared on ground and spoke with the players and staff. "It feels like the game is about to begin. I'm motivated, of course," he said emphatically.

The appointment of the new manager was announced on the 17th. This is an unusual move, as he will take on the role of manager midway through the season. His first opponent as Rakuten Eagles 's manager will be his former team, Lotte, where he managed until last season. "I had to come here eventually, so I thought it would be better to do it sooner," he said, expressing his feelings.

The team is currently languishing at the bottom of the league. There are still 79 games left in the season. As long as there is a way, they will not give up. "I want them to fight with the desire to win at the forefront. There is still a 100% chance, so as long as there is a possibility, we will aim for the top." Under the new manager, the highly anticipated battle is about to begin.

◆Masato Yoshii: Born April 20, 1965, in Wakayama Prefecture. Age 61. Joined Kintetsu in 1983 as the second overall pick in the draft after graduating from Minoshima High School. Transferred to Yakult in 1995, and joined the Mets as a free agent in the offseason of 1997. After playing for three MLB teams, Orix Buffaloes in 2003. Transferred to Lotte midway through the 2007 season and retired that same year. Served as a coach for Nippon-Ham from 2008 to 2012, Softbank Hawks in 2015, Nippon-Ham from 2016 to 2018, and Lotte from 2019 to 2022. Managed Lotte from 2023 to 2025. His career record in Japan and the US is 547 appearances, with 121 wins, 129 losses, and 62 saves. Right-handed pitcher and batter.