TOKYO (Interstat) — The Chunichi Dragons will visit the Tokyo Yakult Swallows on Saturday at Meiji Jingu Stadium in a Central League matchup.

Chunichi enters with a 59-79-2 record. Yakult is 58-76-2. The forecast calls for temperatures around 76 degrees at game time.

Seiya Yoshida is a player to watch for Chunichi. The pitcher has worked scoreless relief in several recent appearances. He struck out three over one inning against Yakult, worked a scoreless inning with a walk against Yokohama, tossed a scoreless inning against Hiroshima and struck out one in a scoreless inning at Yomiuri. He allowed two earned runs over one-third of an inning at Yomiuri in another outing.

Taichi Yamano is a player to watch for Yakult. His recent starts include a seven-inning win over Chunichi in which he allowed two earned runs with four strikeouts and three walks. He also pitched 7 2/3 innings while allowing one earned run with seven strikeouts at Yokohama, struck out nine over seven innings while allowing two earned runs against Hanshin, and pitched 5 1/3 innings at Yokohama. Yamano went 1 for 3 against Chunichi and 1 for 2 against Hanshin.

The most recent meeting between the teams ended with Yakult beating Chunichi 5-4. Miguel Sano hit a home run and drove in two runs for Chunichi. Yoshida pitched a scoreless inning with three strikeouts, and Toshihiro Sugiura added a scoreless inning. Yamano earned the win for Yakult, while Nash Walters and Tomoya Hoshi each provided scoreless relief.

Chunichi had won several games in the head-to-head series earlier this season, including an 8-4 victory at Yakult. Yakult responded with a 6-5 win at Chunichi before taking the latest matchup. The clubs also played a 10-inning tie in the series.

Chunichi’s recent results include a 12-inning loss at Yokohama, a loss at Yokohama, a 10-0 win over Hiroshima and an 8-5 win over Hiroshima. Yakult recently lost to Hanshin, lost in 11 innings to Hanshin, lost at Yomiuri, lost at Yokohama and won at Yokohama.

After Saturday, Chunichi is scheduled to play at Hanshin, Yokohama and Hiroshima before another game at Yakult. Yakult is set to visit Yomiuri and Hanshin, then return home for games against Yomiuri, Chunichi and Hiroshima.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a final score of Chunichi 10, Yakult 9. Interstat’s ELO system gives Chunichi a 51.7 percent probability to win.