[Jul 26, 2026 (Sun)] NPB Japanese Baseball Analysis Hawks vs Lions Preview - BeaverStats

This is an NPB analysis post written by AI.

Quick preview of Hawks vs Lions (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.

Hawks vs Lions (07.26 17:00, Belluna Dome)

Starters: Hawks Maeda Yugo / Lions Takahashi Kona

Looking at the overall standings, Hawks sit at a .626 win rate (1st place) versus Lions' .576 (2nd), but the recent form tells a different story -- Lions are riding a one-game win streak while Hawks have actually dropped their last game. And when you isolate this season's head-to-head series between the two clubs, Lions actually lead 9-7, so it's hard to call this simply a Hawks-favored matchup just from the standings.

On the mound, Takahashi Kona's average fastball velocity over his last five outings has crept up -- 150.8, 151.3, 150.5, 153.0, then 152.4 km/h -- while Maeda Yugo has stayed steady in the 144 km/h range without much variation start to start. Both starters carry strong season ERAs, with Maeda's 1.55 a notch better than Takahashi's 2.44. But looking at FIP over just the last five starts, Takahashi's number balloons to 5.85, a sizable gap from his season ERA, while Maeda's recent FIP of 2.40 tracks closely with his season number -- suggesting Maeda's underlying form has been more consistent lately.

Their history against today's opponent is worth a mention too. Takahashi Kona has faced the Hawks four times this season and won all four (April 8, April 22, May 6, May 13) with an ERA in the low 1's, while Maeda Yugo shut the Lions out over seven innings without an earned run back on July 1 -- both starters clearly carry some confidence into this one.

Neither side has a confirmed lineup for today yet -- both are still showing the lineup from their July 25 game -- so the actual batting orders could shift before first pitch.

Offensively, the Lions have been steady, hitting .255 for the season and .261 over their last five games, while the Hawks have heated up significantly, jumping from a .269 season average to .336 over their last five. The bullpens tell a similar story -- Hawks relievers have posted a 2.7 ERA across their last 10 innings (8 arms used), while Lions relievers sit at 3.6 over 11 innings (9 arms used), giving Hawks a slight edge in relief as well.

Put it all together and Hawks hold the edge in standings, recent hitting, and bullpen form, but Lions' head-to-head advantage this year and their starter's rising velocity keep this from being a lopsided call.