[2026 Rookie of the Year Race Mid-Season Report: Pacific League Edition] Is Iwaki the Favorite, or Will Kimura Make a Comeback? Shinohara Won't Stay Silent Either

With interleague play concluded, professional baseball is entering the second half of the season.

In the Central League, the showdown between Giants players Kazuyuki Takemaru and Shunsuke Urata is a major topic, but the situation in the Pacific League is different.

At this point, the main contenders are likely Saitama Seibu Lions closer Soku Iwaki, Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks high-leverage right-hander Hikaru Kimura, and fellow Seibu set-up man Hibiki Shinohara.

However, determining the order is quite difficult.

First, I would name Seibu's Soku Iwaki as the favorite.

Iwaki has appeared in 24 games with 18 saves. While his 3.75 ERA doesn't look overwhelming by the numbers alone, the team's situation is what deserves attention.

Seibu is in first place in the Pacific League as of the end of interleague play.

The impact of racking up 18 saves as the closer for the first-place team is significant.

The Rookie of the Year award is not just about statistical metrics.

The impression of 'how much one stood out' and 'how directly one contributed to team victories' also plays a strong role.

Considering that,

'The rookie closer supporting first-place Seibu'

This title is extremely powerful.

If he continues to build on this and reaches the high 30s or even near 40 saves, he will likely solidify his position as the favorite.

The main challenger is SoftBank's Hikaru Kimura.

Kimura has appeared in 26 games with a 3-0 record, a 1.85 ERA, and 10 holds.

What shines even more than the numbers is these '3 wins'.

A relief pitcher's 3 wins cannot be achieved by luck alone.

He enters in close games, stops the momentum, and his team takes the lead immediately after.

In other words, it is proof that he is doing his job at the turning points of the games.

In particular, SoftBank is currently in second place, trailing the league-leading Seibu by 3.5 games.

If the Hawks manage to pull off a comeback victory in the second half of the season, Kimura's stock will skyrocket.

"A rookie who supported the winning pattern of a championship team"

This narrative is extremely strong in reporter voting.

And we must not forget Seibu's Hibiki Shinohara.

Shinohara has 16 holds in 22 games with a 1.27 ERA.

With a 1.08 WHIP and a 4.50 K/BB ratio, his stats are the most impressive of the three.

In terms of pure pitching performance, one could even say Shinohara is at the top.

However, there is one major issue.

That is the presence of Iwaki on the same Seibu team.

Reporter votes could split between:

- The Iwaki camp, which prioritizes saves

- The Shinohara camp, which prioritizes advanced metrics

There is a possibility of a split.

If this "vote splitting" occurs, a scenario where Kimura emerges as the beneficiary is entirely plausible.

My personal ranking at this moment is as follows:

Favorite: Saku Iwaki

Contender: Hikaru Kimura

Third place: Hibiki Shinohara

However, the gap between them is quite small.

While the Central League race is centered around Takemaru, the landscape in the Pacific League could change significantly over the final month of the season.

The Rookie of the Year race has only just begun.

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