◆Nippon Seimei Central-Pa. Exchange Game 2026 Hanshin Tigers 2-3 Seibu Lions (3rd, Koshien)

It was a devastating hit. In the second inning, with the score tied 0-0, Seibu Lions 's Tyler Nevin the leadoff infielder he was "satisfied that he was able to put a strong swing on the pitch he was supposed to hit," as he swung hard at a 138 km/h fastball high and outside from opposing starter Otake. The ball arced beautifully and was swallowed up by the center field scoreboard. It was his 10th solo home run of the season. He rounded the bases with a flourish.

He started the game as the cleanup hitter and first baseman. In the first inning with one out, he made a spectacular diving catch of a fast-moving ball hit by Nakano between first and second base, turning it into a groundout to first base. Immediately after that, he hit a go-ahead home run. He controlled the game both offensively and defensively, and the Tigers fans who filled the stadium screamed in disappointment many times.

In his first year in Japan last season, he played in 137 games as the starting first first baseman, recording a batting average of .277, 21 Home Run, and 63 RBI, leading the team as a key player. This season, he was delayed due to discomfort in his left side and joined the first team on May 1st against Lotte (ZOZO Marine Stadium), but in May he played in 24 games, recording an impressive batting average of .348 with 29 At Bat in 85 hit, 9 Home Run runs, and 19 RBI, helping the team climb from third place with a deficit of 2 games to first place with a maximum of 11 games above .500.

Then, in the first game of June, he reached double-digit Home Run for the second consecutive year. His momentum shows no signs of slowing down.