Lotte vs. Softbank Hawks (18:00, ZOZO Marine) Lotte: Yoshikawa, Softbank Hawks: Moinelo

Softbank Hawks' Yanagita has a batting average of .296. He is currently ranked 4th in the batting average standings among the 24 Pacific League players who have reached the required number of plate appearances.

As of the end of June, he was in 19th place with a .247 average. However, he has climbed the standings with a batting average of .323 over 20 games in July and .429 over 18 games in August, exceeding a .400 monthly average.

He recorded a three-hit game (three or more hits in a single game) only once each in April and June. While he had two in July, he has already had five in August alone. His personal monthly record is six, set in July 2020, so he is just one away from tying it.

Including the team's predecessors, the club record for the most three-hit games in a single month is seven, set by Kohei Sugiyama in August 1956 during the Nankai era. It remains to be seen if Yanagita can rack up more multi-hit games and match this franchise record.

(Other cards)

Yakult vs. The Giants (18:00, Jingu) Yakult: Yoshimura, The Giants: Norimoto

☆Chunichi vs. Hanshin Tigers (18:00, Vantelin Dome) Chunichi: Ohno, Hanshin Tigers: Nishi

Hiroshima vs. DeNA (18:00, Mazda Stadium) Hiroshima: Tokoda, DeNA: Fukazawa

☆Seibu Lions vs. Nippon-Ham (18:00, Belluna Dome) Seibu Lions: Taira, Nippon-Ham: Ito

Orix Buffaloes vs. Rakuten Eagles (18:00, Kyocera Dome Osaka) Orix: Kuri, Rakuten: Tatsuki Ito

※ Match card (start time, stadium) and starting pitcher order