◆ The team has also gone 26 inning without scoring; Tsuji says, "I especially want them to get a hit quickly and bounce back."

On the 1st, Seibu Lions suffered another shutout game loss, 0-11, in the second game of their crucial series against Softbank Hawks for first place. Despite including eight right-handed hitter as a countermeasure against the opposing starting pitcher, left-hander Yugo Maeda, their offense failed to function, and they continue to struggle, going scoreless for 26 consecutive inning.

On the Fuji TV ONE program "Pro baseball News 2026" aired on the 1st, MC Yutaka Takagi commented on Masayuki Kuwahara, who has gone hit in 16 at-bats, saying, "He seems a little down." Commentator Hatsuhiko Tsuji responded, "He's brought a breath of fresh air since he joined the team. He's a very gutsy player who brightens up the team. It's a bit worrying when he's not in good spirits... The team is in a similar situation, so we especially want him to get a hit soon and bounce back."

Furthermore, when Takagi asked about the optimal batting order, saying, "They've been changing things up a lot. He's batting first, then sixth, then fifth. What position do you think is best?", the other commentator, Toritani Takashi, analyzed, "If he's in good form, I think it would be good for him to bat first and go for it with momentum, but he's the type of player who swings hard rather than watching the ball so much, so in that sense, if he's in a slump and in a batting batting order he gets more at-bats, the damage might be greater." He added, "Until he gets back on track, maybe batting further down the order, like sixth, and then when he gets back in form, he has the incredible ability to build momentum, so moving him up in the order might be easier for him." Takagi nodded in agreement, saying, "Changing batting order a little might be important."

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