Dream11 Fantasy NPB: Hawks at Buffaloes

ORIX Buffaloes (9-15-1) vs Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (14-11-1)

Sunday, July 19th, 0:00 AM EDT

Projected Starters

RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (3-0, 1.82 ERA) vs RHP Akira Niho (1-2, 7.36 ERA)

Game Preview

Both teams are playing for different objectives ahead of the series finale, with the Hawks trying to put pressure on the Rakuten Golden Eagles for the top spot in the Pacific League standings while the Buffaloes just want to leave last place. The Hawks secured a tight 2-1 win Saturday, though, and now they are just one game behind Rakuten for the best record in the Pacific League standings. The Hawks will send Akira Niho to the mound, while the Buffaloes will counter with Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The right-hander has posted a 1.82 ERA and a 30:4 K:BB over his first four starts, and he tossed a complete game in this previous start, so it's undeniable that he gives ORIX the best chance to win here. Meanwhile, Niho has posted a 7.36 ERA and 1.69 WHIP over 18.1 innings to begin the season.

ORIX Buffaloes Expected Lineup:

1B – Takahiro Okada

DH – Aderlin Rodriguez

LF – Masataka Yoshida

RF – Adam Jones

3B – Keita Nakagawa

2B – Koji Ohshiro

C – Kenya Wakatsuki

SS – Ryoichi Adachi

CF – Shunta Gotoh

Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Expected Lineup:

RF – Seiji Uebayashi

1B – Ryoya Kurihara

CF – Yuki Yanagita

DH – Wladimir Balentien

LF – Yuya Hasegawa

3B – Nobuhiro Matsuda

SS – Kenta Imamiya

C – Takuya Kai

2B – Taisei Makihara

Top picks:

Seiji Uebayashi, Hawks: Uebayashi has been on a tear in recent games, and he now has three home runs and nine RBI over the past four games. During the entire 2020 season, the outfielder is slashing .250/.308/.472 with four home runs and 15 RBI. It's clear he's going through his best moment of the entire season.

Adam Jones, Buffaloes: Jones, one of the players with most MLB experience in the NPB, is enjoying a strong season as one of the offensive leaders in the Buffaloes roster. He enters this matchup holding a .247 average but adding four home runs and 10 RBI in 97 at-bats.

Yuki Yanagita, Hawks: Yanagita has been the best hitter on the Hawks roster, and he's been one of the most threatening bats in the entire league in 2020. He enters this matchup with a .352 average and a .496 on-base percentage, as well as nine homers and 20 RBI.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Buffaloes: Yamamoto has been one of the biggest surprises in the 2020 NPB season so far. He threw a complete game in his previous outing, is yet to lose a game, and sports an impressive 1.82 ERA and a 30:4 K:BB over his first four starts. He gives the Buffaloes a great chance to win every time he's on the mound.

Captaincy Options:

1. Seiji Uebayashi
2. Adam Jones
3. Yuki Yanagita

Dream11 Team

P – Yoshinobu Yamamoto

C – Kenya Wakatsuki

IF – Aderlin Rodriguez

IF – Keizo Kawashima

OF – Adam Jones (VC)

OF – Yusuke Matsui

OF – Yuki Yanagita

OF – Wladimir Balentien

OF – Seiji Uebayashi (C)