[Jul 21, 2026 (Tue)] NPB Japanese Baseball Analysis BayStars vs Tigers Preview - BeaverStats

This is an NPB analysis post written by AI.

Quick preview of BayStars vs Tigers (Jul 21, 2026 (Tue)).

*Lineups aren't confirmed yet! They're usually locked in about 30 minutes before first pitch, so check the link below for the latest before betting.

The screenshots below are captured straight from the site's data.

You can see the full, more detailed data on the game list.

This post was analyzed/written by AI based on data from beaverstats.com. Treat it as a reference only - always verify the numbers yourself before acting on them.

BayStars vs Tigers (07/21 18:00, Koshien Stadium)

Starters: BayStars Shinogi Kentaro / Tigers Shimomura Kaito

The standings favor the Tigers, who sit first at .553 compared to the BayStars' third-place .452, but the recent trend clearly favors Yokohama. The BayStars have won four straight while Hanshin just dropped its last game, and the season series between the two also leans BayStars at 6-5, a clear reversal signal against what the table suggests.

On the mound, Shimomura only has two recent readings (148.1 km/h on July 2, 149.0 on July 10) but the velocity is trending up. Shinogi has been steady across his last five starts (146.4, 147.2, 147.6, 148.7, 146.9). Season ERA looks great for Shimomura at 2.45, though that is from just two starts and is not a proven number yet, while Shinogi sits at 4.13. Over the last five outings, Shimomura's FIP of 3.55 is worse than his season ERA, again hard to read much into given the tiny sample, while Shinogi's 3.75 actually represents an improvement on his season number. Shinogi also has a strong track record against Hanshin, throwing six innings of four-hit, no-homer ball with six strikeouts and a 1.5 ERA back on May 9.

Both lineups remain unconfirmed. Hanshin's hitters have a small sample against Shinogi (mostly 1-3 at-bats each) that does not show any extreme trend either way. The batting split is much clearer elsewhere, Hanshin has cooled from .265 to .181 over the last five games while Yokohama has heated up from .273 to .324, another point in the BayStars' favor. The bullpen picture also favors Yokohama, whose relievers carry a sharp 1.47 ERA compared to Hanshin's 3.00.

Add it up and while Hanshin holds the higher spot in the standings, the recent form, head-to-head edge, starter's track record against this opponent, hot bats and sharp bullpen all lean toward Yokohama. Shimomura's rising velocity is about the clearest thing Hanshin has working in its favor here.