Former Lotte ace Tomohiro “Johnny” Kuroki sees the Central League having a huge advantage in interleague play this year, Sponichi Annex reported Sunday.

Although the CL teams were outscored last year, the CL won last year’s interleague competition for just the second time since the program started in 2005 and the first time since 2009. The season also ended with the Yakult Swallows beating the Orix Buffaloes in the Japan Series for the league’s first victory since 2012.

“I see the CL having the higher winning percentage this year. I get a sense there is a gap,” Kuroki said. “I think the CL hitters are stronger, it’s not an individual thing, but that all the CL teams appear stronger. There’s no real basis for this, but that’s how it seems to me.”