Nippon Professional Baseball League Predictions for September 10-11

By Chris Horton

06 Sep 2022

Chris Horton 06 Sep 2022

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This week's Nippon Professional Baseball League predictions
Nippon Professional Baseball League odds, stats and matchups
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks at Orix Buffaloes
Nippon Ham Fighters at Saitama Seibu Lions

Inform your Nippon Professional Baseball league predictions ahead of this week's biggest matches with Pinnacle's weekly update, including analysis, team news, and the latest baseball odds.

NPB: Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks at Orix Buffaloes

The Pacific League of the NPB has been competitive and closely run all season but that has gone to a new level in recent days, with three teams divided by razor-thin margins now fighting it out for top spot.

The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks are currently top of the standings with a record of 63-2-55 at the time of writing, a win percentage of .533.

Breathing down their necks are both the Saitama Seibu Lions and Orix Buffaloes who are tied on winning percentages of .532. The race could not be tighter as the Buffaloes host the Hawks on Saturday.

Orix’s standout performer for the season has been Yoshinobu Yamamoto, whose 1.82 ERA, 172 strikeouts and 12-5 record leads the Pacific on all three counts. The 24-year-old threw a no-hitter earlier in the season and has registered three complete games.

For the Hawks, their standout pitcher has been closer Livan Moinelo, who has a 0.84 ERA from 42.2 innings, picking up 73 strikeouts and 19 saves in the process.

In this division race which is going down to the wire, both teams will be fighting tooth and nail to secure top spot and a win over their close rivals could set them up to take the Pacific crown.

Bet on Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks vs. Orix Buffaloes

NPB: Nippon Ham Fighters at Saitama Seibu Lions

The third team in the battle for the Pacific League title are the Saitama Seibu Lions, who currently sport a record of 63-3-57 at the time of writing. They face the team with the worst record in the NPB on Saturday, the 48-3-71 Nippon Ham Fighters.

One of the few bright spots for the Fighters has been the pitching performances of Takayuki Katoh, whose 2.05 ERA ranks second in the Pacific. However, his 6-6 record is demonstrative of the lack of run support he has received, Nippon’s 384 runs scored is the lowest in the Pacific.

For the Lions Kona Takahashi has been their most consistent starting pitcher and ranks third in the Pacific ERA standings at 2.33.

In such a close division race, the Lions will be desperate to pick up a win in what on paper is the easiest game in the section while the Fighters will be aiming to keep their end of season results respectable as they look forward to next year.

Bet on Nippon Ham Fighters vs. Saitama Seibu Lions

NPB: Hiroshima Toyo Carp at Tokyo Yakult Swallows

After a brief wobble, the Tokyo Yakult Swallows look to have reasserted their dominance over the Central League. Their 70-2-49 record at the time of writing puts them clear of the chasing Yokohama DeNa Baystars.

However, the race for the two play-off spots behind the Swallows is arguably more interesting with all five teams in with a shot. Yakult face one of those sides on Saturday, Hiroshima Toyo Carp.

The Carp have a record of 59-3-65 at the time of writing, which puts them level with the Yomiuri Giants on a winning percentage of .476, chasing the .492 Hanshin Tigers who currently occupy the last postseason spot.

Hiroshima have relied heavily upon the performances of their closer Ryoji Kuribayashi, whose 1.35 ERA is among the best in the division’s bullpens.

Kuribayashi has also recorded 26 saves and 51 strikeouts from 40 innings of work.

The efforts of Munetaka Murakami have been well publicised for the Swallows but their closer Scott McGough has also been a key element in their success.

The American leads the Central with 34 saves and a 1.81 ERA from his 44.2 innings of work.

In this matchup which is integral to both teams for different reasons, the side’s closers could come to decide a close game at the business end of the season.

Bet on Hiroshima Toyo Carp vs. Tokyo Yakult Swallows

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