Baystars Try To Topple Giants

Yokohama Baystars right-hander Kentaro Taira has had an outstanding 2020 season so far. Photo by Takayuki Suzuki (Flickr).

• Baystars look to snap four-game losing streak at home against Giants, winners of five straight
• After bounceback win, Tokyo Swallows will aim to build momentum against floundering Carp
• Odds and best bets below for all six Nippon Professional Baseball games on Sunday, July 19

Sitting comfortably in first place in the Central League, the Yomiuri Giants have responded in the best way possible since going over a week without a win at the start of July.

But a three-game set at Hiroshima Carp and now a three-game series in Yokohama against the Baystars has allowed them to get back to winning ways. The Giants have responded by putting together a season-long five-game win streak, and will be confident of pushing that out even further in the series finale in Yokohama on Sunday.

But before we take a closer look at that matchup, here’s a look at all of Sunday’s slate of games and odds in Nippon Professional Baseball.

NPB Odds: July 19th

Odds as of July 18th

Baystars Set For Change In Fortunes

It’s long overdue for one of these streaks to end Sunday. The Yokohama DeNA Baystars, losers of four consecutive games, host the Yomiuri Giants, winners of five straight.

While the bookmakers are favoring the Giants’ winning ways to continue, the presence of Kentaro Taira suggests that it might actually be Yokohama that gets back in the victory column – and against his old team to boot.

The 25-year-old right-hander hasn’t exactly been a star over his five seasons, but his 2020 campaign is turning into something special. Over 25 innings pitched, he has given up just three earned runs and no homers, for a 2-1 record. In addition, he has only allowed a combined 20 hits and walks, while striking out 19.

NPB starting pitchers announced for Jul 19 #npb pic.twitter.com/fcjMRLxkh7

— NPB on reddit (@NPB_Reddit) July 18, 2020

Those marks are all improvements on his 13-14 record and 3.81 career ERA.

Yomiuri will attempt to keep rolling behind the right arm of Toshiki Sakurai, who is 1-1 in three starts, with an 2.89 ERA over 18.2 innings. That is well below his four-year career ERA of 4.49.

Pick: Baystars (-110); +1.5 (-200)

Swallows Continue Their Climb

Much like the pair of starters in the Yomiuri-Yokohama game,  Tokyo Swallows right-hander Hirotoshi Takanashi is having a 2020 season that is very much the outlier from his career until now.

Hirotoshi Takanashi, rookie of the year in 2016, has still excellent fastball. #npbeng pic.twitter.com/gVV9NOk5J5

— パ・リーグ.com / パーソル パ・リーグTV公式 (@PacificleagueTV) March 1, 2017

The 29-year-old is 1-1 in three starts, with a 3.18 ERA in 17 innings, compared to the 28-25 record and 3.99 ERA career mark across his six seasons. In particular, Takanashi is much improved from 2019, when he went 5-7 with a 6.23 ERA.

Given the prolific offense provided by the Swallows, with 119 runs so far – good for second in the Central League – it gives Takanashi a good chance of registering a victory here, particularly against a Carp team that has had 113 runs scored against it.

Alcides Escobar with a clutch hit drives in two more runs for the Swallows! They are now leading 5-2! #Swallows #エスコバー pic.twitter.com/TMc49JjkXL

— Tom Mussa (@tom_mussa) July 18, 2020

But Tokyo’s propensity to give up runs of its own – the 121 it has given up is joint third-worst in NPB – Hiroshima will be confident it can do some offensive damage of its own. However, the Carp are depending on converted-reliever Atsushi Endoh, who has given up 12 earned runs in 16 innings, with a 1-1 record in three starts.

An amazing throw from Norichika Aoki gets Nishikawa at the plate! #swallows #青木宣親 pic.twitter.com/YFkJGi3gmL

— Tom Mussa (@tom_mussa) July 18, 2020

In his 2019 rookie season, Endoh had a comfortable 3.16 ERA in 42.2 innings mostly out of the bullpen.

But so far, 2020 hasn’t been his year.

Pick: Swallows (EVEN); O 8.5 (-150)

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