A total of 144 interleague games will be scheduled for next season, the third year that the system will be in effect in the Central and Pacific leagues.
According to the 2007 interleague schedule released Tuesday by both leagues, the 2006 Japan Series champion Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters will face the Yomiuri Giants at Sapporo Dome in one of the six matchups on the first day of interleague action May 22. Each team will play the same opponent four times, twice at home and twice away, for a total of 24 games per team between May 22 and June 24 -- 12 fewer games than in 2006 due to the introduction of the postseason playoffs in both leagues.