[Jul 26, 2026 (Sun)] 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 26, 2026 (Sun)).

*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 Dragons (07.26 13:30, Vantelin Dome)

Starters: BayStars Ogata Shuto / Dragons Kanemaru Yumeto

By record, the BayStars sit fourth at 39-49 (.443), one spot above the sixth-place Dragons at 37-55 (.402), and the recent trend slightly favors Yokohama as well -- they have won their last game while Chunichi dropped theirs. The season series also tilts toward the BayStars, who lead 9-6, so nothing here contradicts the standings.

Ogata's velocity dipped a touch from his first outing in the 154 km/h range down to a steadier 152 km/h of late, while Kanemaru has held a consistent 149-151 km/h and even ticked up slightly in his most recent start. Kanemaru's 2.75 season ERA is sharper than Ogata's 3.63, and that gap actually widens when you look at recent form -- Ogata's FIP over his last five starts comes out to 4.60, worse than his season number, while Kanemaru's sits at 3.06, better than his season average, which suggests Kanemaru's stuff has genuinely been trending up lately.

Kanemaru has faced the BayStars three times recently, going 1-2 -- a dominant 7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER outing on April 28 sandwiched between rougher starts on May 12 and April 7 where he gave up 2 and 4 earned runs respectively, so there is some volatility there.

Neither lineup is locked in for today, so this is based on the most recent lineups on file. Under that lineup, Yokohama's Sano Keita has been completely shut down by Kanemaru, going 0-for-8, while Maki Shugo (2-for-3) and Ebina Tatsuo (3-for-6) have had much more success -- worth watching depending on where the order shakes out.

Team-wide, Yokohama's average has cooled from a .271 season mark to .235 over their last five games, while Chunichi has warmed slightly from .238 to .245. The bullpens tell a clearer story -- Yokohama's relievers have been sharp and fresh at a 1.36 ERA over their last 9.2 innings, while Chunichi's pen has logged 14 innings at a worn-down 4.70.

Put together, the standings and season series favor the BayStars, but Kanemaru's form has actually been trending better than his ERA suggests, and Yokohama's bullpen is in a much fresher state than Chunichi's -- enough contrasting signals that this one could go either way depending on how the middle innings play out.