TOKYO (Interstat) — The Tokyo Yakult Swallows and Yomiuri Giants will conclude a three-game series Sunday night at Tokyo Dome, with the Central League rivals looking to gain an early edge in the standings.

First pitch is scheduled for Sunday, April 12, 2026. The Swallows (9-4) took the middle game of the series Saturday, 3-2, after the Giants (7-6) won the opener by the same score Friday.

Yakult will look to continue its strong start behind a player performing at an elite level on both sides of the ball: pitcher and designated hitter Taichi Yamano. On the mound, Yamano earned the win Saturday with seven strong innings, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out seven. At the plate this season, he has driven in a run in three of his last four games where he has had an at-bat.

He will be a key figure as Yakult aims to win its fourth series in five attempts this season.

The Giants will counter with right-hander Bryan Mata, who took the loss Saturday despite a solid outing. Mata went five innings, yielding two runs on six hits with six strikeouts. Yomiuri has alternated wins and losses over its last six games and will seek consistency to climb above .500.

According to Interstat, the game projects as a high-scoring affair, with its simulator predicting a 6-5 Yakult victory. However, the same service’s ELO rating system gives Yomiuri a 55.7% probability to win, highlighting the anticipated closeness of the contest.

Following Sunday’s game, the teams will meet again next weekend for a three-game set at Yakult’s home park, Meiji Jingu Stadium.