[Jul 24, 2026 (Fri)] NPB Japanese Baseball Analysis BayStars vs Dragons Preview - BeaverStats

This is an NPB analysis post written by AI.

Quick preview of BayStars vs Dragons (Jul 24, 2026 (Fri)).

*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.

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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 Dragons (07.24 18:00, Vantelin Dome)

Starters: BayStars Azuma Katsuki / Dragons Yanagi Yuya

The fourth-place BayStars (.442) sit above the sixth-place Dragons (.400) in the standings, and while the BayStars are riding a two-game losing streak, the Dragons are also on a one-game skid, so recent momentum is not hugely different. Where it does separate is the season series, the BayStars lead 8-5, which lines up with the standings edge. On the mound, Yanagi Yuya has been steady in the 140-142 km/h range with little variance, while Azuma Katsuki has bounced between 142 and 147 and looked a bit flatter in his most recent outing. Season ERAs are close, 2.50 for Yanagi and 2.72 for Azuma, but the last-five-start FIPs tell different stories: Yanagis 3.69 mark is worse than his season number, suggesting his form has slipped a bit, while Azumas 2.42 mark is actually better than his season ERA, pointing to an upward trend (both over healthy 30-plus-inning samples). Head-to-head, Yanagi got the win against the BayStars on July 9 but the line was not pretty, 5.1 innings, 5 hits, a 5.06 ERA, while Azuma has dominated the Dragons this year, winning on July 8, June 24, and May 12 with ERAs of 2.57, 1.5, and 0.0 (with one loss on April 28, making it 3-1 overall). Both lineups remain unconfirmed for today, so the listed rosters could still shift. At the plate, the Dragons have cooled from a .238 season average to .214 over their last five games, while the BayStars, already hitting well at .275, have gotten even hotter at .303. The bullpens tell a similar story: the Dragons relief ERA sits at a rough 5.2 recently versus a sharp 1.23 for the BayStars. Across nearly every category, standings, season series, hitting form, and bullpen, the BayStars look like the stronger side here, and with Azumas strong history against this Dragons lineup, this feels like a game where the BayStars deserve a bit more confidence.