◆ Seibu Lions Pacific League: Seibu vs. Rakuten Eagles (30th, Belluna Dome)

Takumi Kuriyama, an outfielder who spent 25 years solely with the Seibu Lions, held a retirement press conference in Tokyo on the 30th.

When asked about his classmate Takeya Nakamura infielder, who joined the team in the same 2001 draft, Kuriyama said, "We got drafted together, and before I knew it, it had been 25 years. Since we played together in the same uniform, we were naturally present in the same uniform. We were special teammates," Kuriyama said. "As you all know, I'm the complete opposite—our playing styles are different. By playing for a long time, I realized I could incorporate these things, and I learned a lot. Maybe we inspired each other, but we really learned a lot from each other," he said, reflecting on their days of mutual competition and training, and finally smiled softly, saying, "Well, it's just a companion."

Kuriyama joined the team from Hyogo's Ikuei High School as a fourth-round draft pick in 2001. During contract negotiations in November 2025, he announced his retirement at the end of the 2026 season. This season, his 25th as a professional, he appeared in 10 games, recording a .111 batting average and 1 hit. He has no RBIs or Home Runs.