On July 6, Ryota Igarashi and Sho Nakata appeared on the “Mondays at Pate-re, supported by B-Union” segment on Persol’s official YouTube channel (Pacific League TV) and discussed player Fukuoka Softbank ・ Akira Nakamura, who announced his retirement at the end of this season.

On July 3, Nakamura announced his retirement from active play at the end of this season. Nakata, his classmate, reportedly sent him a message saying, “Good job. Take care of yourself,” to which Nakamura replied, “I’m already a wreck.” Akira Nakamura

Nakata continued to express his concern, saying, “He’s worn out both mentally and physically, but I think he’s kept going all this time thinking, ‘I’ve got to push through one more time.’”He also touched on comments made by Manager Kokubo and Akira Nakamura himself—who said, “I never thought he’d grow into a player capable of hitting 1,500 hits”—and emphasized, “From our perspective, he’s a genius batter!”

Meanwhile, Mr. Igarashi, who played alongside him as a teammate for six years, looked back on those days, saying, “He was hitting so consistently that you’d think, ‘Isn’t that enough already?’” He praised Akira Nakamura ’s accumulated efforts, adding, “He’s not exactly big, is he? To achieve results like this despite that—it really is a testament to his hard work.”

In response to those words, Nakata nodded and said, “He really is a genius hitter—the kind of player who pushes himself to the limit. He doesn’t say much, though,” reflecting on Akira Nakamura ’s single-minded dedication.

◇　◇　◇

“Mondays at Pate-Re” began with the desire to create a fun experience for fans of the professional baseball and Pacific League teams, even on Mondays when there are few games. This week’s episode was brought to you by “B-Union,” a Japan-based brand that connects players, fans, and the community through the stadium, and is also the official cap supplier for Chiba Lotte Marines.

Additionally, 10 lucky winners will be selected via a raffle to receive a B-Union “Let’s Go to Patere” cap (not for sale). Details on how to enter were announced during the broadcast.

Live Stream Program “Going to Patere on Mondays Too”
・Broadcast Date: Every Monday at 9:00 PM (Scheduled to air through October during the season)
・Streaming Platform: Persol Pacific League TV Official YouTube Channel
・Cast: A different pair of former Pro baseball players appears each week
(Ryota Igarashi & Sho Nakata / Ginji & Yuji Kaneko / GG Sato & T-Okada / Motonobu Tanishige & Tomoya Satouzaki)

Next Monday, the 13th, Ginji and Yuji Kaneko are scheduled to appear. Don’t miss it!