Nippon-Ham lose 3-4 against Lotte on the 22nd in a game (Zozo Marine Stadium). Starter Koki Kitayama pitched 2 runs in 7 innings and was pulled with winning pitcher rights, but the relievers couldn't hold their ground and the team suffered a walk-off loss. Yutaka Takagi, who appeared as MC on the CS Fuji TV ONE program 'Pro baseball News 2026' aired on the 21st, said, "For Nippon-Ham to aim for the top ranks, it becomes important to develop the reliever..." Commentator Ryota Igarashi commented, "Nippon-Ham put six players into the extra inning game yesterday and the day before, so what to do is what to do. Whether you can hold on to a winning position is extremely important, and whether you can win a close match makes a big difference for the team," and continued, "If we win close games, we can move up the ranks, but if we lose matches like this, it might get a bit difficult. We want to properly develop the reliever..." he commented.

When Takagi asked, "What are the feelings of pitcher when they are getting hit? Of course, I know you shouldn't get discouraged, but...", Igarashi replied, "It's the late innings, so it's about how you can get through it, but as reliever, even if you get hit, an opportunity will come soon after, so the most important thing is to get results there. You'll probably understand the reason why you got hit right away, so it's important to keep making adjustments."

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