Rakuten's Maeda Kenta targets 100th win while SoftBank secures 5-0 triumph

Rakuten pitcher Maeda Kenta, who is one win away from his 100th NPB victory, will make a farm‑league start on July 1 to fine‑tune his form after a rain‑out forced a schedule change. The adjustment follows the cancellation of the July 31 game against SoftBank, prompting a reshuffle that moves Maeda’s next first‑team appearance to a later series against Orix.

On the same day, SoftBank defeated Rakuten 5‑0 in a regular‑season clash. Manager Kukuho highlighted catcher Watanabe Riku’s “desperate” effort, noting that his weekly preparation and communication with pitchers were key to the win. Watanabe, in his eighth professional year, contributed with solid defense and two walks, while starter Uechi (referred to as 上茶谷) delivered a scoreless seven innings.