The 12th game of Rakuten Eagles between the Saitama Seibu Lions and the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles will be held at Okinawa Cellular Stadium Naha on July 7th at 6:30 PM.

[Head-to-head record] Saitama Seibu Lions (2nd place) vs. Tohoku Rakuten Eagles (6th place): 5 wins, 5 losses, 1 draw

[Announced Starting Pitcher]
Saitama Seibu Lions: Kaima Taira pitcher 12 games, 5 wins, 2 losses, 1.05 ERA
Tohoku Rakuten Eagles: pitcher Kosei Shoji 13 games, 4 wins, 7 losses, ERA 4.22

In the first game of the two-game series, Saitama Seibu Lions 's starting pitcher will be Kaima Taira. This will be his fourth appearance on the mound in Okinawa, and his second start since June 27, 2023. In that game, he pitched well, strike out runs innings, but his team lost 1-2. Will he be the first pitcher from Okinawa Prefecture to win in his hometown?

On the opposing side, Tohoku Rakuten Eagles 's fourth-year player, Ryuya Taira who hails from Okinawa Prefecture, has had a breakout season. In 59 games, he has a batting average of .250, 8 Home Run (team leader), and 17 RBI, making his presence felt in the lineup. We can also look forward to a showdown between pitcher Taira and other players from the same hometown. Starting pitcher Kosei Shoji is currently on a five-game losing streak. Will this be his first win since May 5th?

Text by Ryohei Shoji