The Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Angels may be duking it out in the cellar of the American League West, but when they begin a four-game series on Thursday in Seattle, the showdown will get October-like coverage in Japan.

Nearly every spot in the Mariners’ 150-seat press box has been assigned — the largest turnout since opening day — and the game will be broadcast live throughout Japan, starting at 10 a.m. Friday with the time difference.

The reason for the hype? Yusei Kikuchi and Shohei Ohtani, who attended the same high school in Japan, could face off for the first time on American soil. Kikuchi, a left-handed pitcher, is scheduled to start Thursday for Seattle, and if Angels Manager Brad Ausmus decides to use Ohtani, his left-handed designated hitter, Japan will go bonkers.

But the nation’s interest is not just in seeing two of its players on the same Major League Baseball diamond. It is also about Japan’s fixation on the nuances of individual rivalries between pitchers and batters, a fascination that underscores how differently fans there view baseball compared with most North Americans.