On June 2nd at 6 PM, the first game of the "Nippon Life Interleague Series 2026" between Hanshin Tigers and the Saitama Seibu Lions will be held at Koshien.

[Head-to-head record] Hanshin Tigers vs. Saitama Seibu Lions: 0 wins, 3 losses

[Announced Starting Pitcher]
Hanshin Tigers: pitcher Yuki Nishi - 4 games, 3 wins, 1 loss, ERA 2.05
Saitama Seibu Lions: Kaima Taira pitcher 8 games, 3 wins, 1 loss, 0.68 ERA

The starting pitcher for the Saitama Seibu Lions will be Kaima Taira. In May, he had to leave some time between appearances due to an injury, but this time he will pitch after six days of rest. In his last appearance against the Tokyo Yakult, he pitched brilliantly, allowing only two hit and striking strike out nine over eight innings without runs. This will be his first start against Hanshin Tigers Tigers.

In the batting lineup, keep an eye on Natsuo Takizawa. He's currently on a 10-game hit streak and had an excellent batting average of .345 in May. In addition to his well-regarded defense, can he further contribute to the team with his hitting and base running, utilizing his speed?

Written by Kai Nagi Niwa