YOKOHAMA, Japan (Interstat) — The Yokohama BayStars are projected as narrow favorites to defeat the Tokyo Yakult Swallows when the Central League rivals open their 2026 season Friday night at Yokohama Stadium.

Interstat’s game simulator forecasts a 5-4 victory for the BayStars, with its ELO rating system giving Yokohama a 56.7% probability to win.

Both clubs enter with 0-0 records, looking to build on divergent results from their final 2025 contests. The Swallows concluded last season with a 3-1 road win over the Hiroshima Toyo Carp on Oct. 4. The BayStars, meanwhile, fell 4-0 to the Hanshin Tigers in their previous outing on Oct. 17.

Friday’s series opener begins a three-game weekend set, with games scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at the same venue. For Yakult, the series kicks off a 10-game stretch that continues with a six-game homestand against Hiroshima and the Chunichi Dragons before a road series at Hanshin.

Yokohama follows this opening series with a challenging road trip, facing the Tigers in a three-game series before a three-game clash with the Yomiuri Giants. They return home on April 7 to host Chunichi.

First pitch is scheduled for the evening. The weather forecast for game time was unavailable.