Nippon-Ham manager Tsuyoshi Shinjo (54) called for an increase in the number of players allowed on the bench on the 24th. Referring to the rule of 31 players on the active roster and 26 on the bench, he said, "It would be great if the bench roster could be increased to 28. If two players suddenly get heatstroke, it becomes very difficult to manage the bench. It would be great if they could increase the roster by two more players." While players can be registered without waiting 10 days due to infectious diseases such as COVID-19 as they are eligible for special removal from the roster, heatstroke is not one of the exceptions, and he suggested that the rules be improved to reflect the times.

Additionally, within the team, Isohata was removed from the active roster on the 22nd after hitting a ball off himself during the Softbank Hawks game on the 19th (at Es Con Field) and missing two games. "There are injuries you just can't avoid. Also, if you go for a swing and the bat hits the catcher, you're ejected, right?" Touching upon the ejection rules for dangerous swings established this season, the manager, known for his "players first" philosophy, expressed his theory that "just by adding two more people, the flexibility increases."

The team will play a two-game away series starting on the 25th against the second-place Seibu Lions, whom they trail by three games. "We lost two in a row recently, but we should be able to put a stop to that and go on a winning streak. With this team, we can." They will look to rally from third place. (Haruki Kawakami)