Former Chicago White Sox infielder Dayan Viciedo has a team-leading three home runs and eight RBIs for the Chunichi Dragons. Photo by Joe Bielawa (Wiki Commons).
- Central League-worst Hanshin Tigers have lost four straight, but now face the inconsistent Hiroshima Toyo Carp
- After 4-0 start to the season, 22-time champion Yomiuri Giants (8-3-1) have looked more mortal of late
- See odds and best bets for all the Nippon Professional Baseball action taking place on Friday, July 3rd
Parity is in the air in Nippon Professional Baseball right now, with no team running away in the standings. The longest win streak belongs to the Chunichi Dragons, who have ridden the offense provided by the likes of former White Sox infielder Dayan Viciedo and solid pitching to three straight victories.
But those three wins came against the division-worst Hanshin Tigers, and sterner tests await the Dragons.
Before we get to that, though, here is a look at the odds for all of Friday’s games NPB.
NPB Odds: July 3rd
| Team | Runline | Win | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiba Lotte Marines | +1.5 (-160) | +130 | O 7.5 (-120) | 5 a.m. |
| Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles | -1.5 (+120) | -175 | U 7.5 (-110) | |
| Team | Runline | Win | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
| Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks | -1.5 (+150) | -125 | O 7.5 (-105) | 5 a.m. |
| Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters | +1.5 (-200) | -110 | U 7.5 (-125) | |
| Team | Runline | Win | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
| Chunichi Dragons | +1.5 (-125) | +180 | O 7.5 (-110) | 5 a.m. |
| Yomiuri Giants | -1.5 (-105) | -240 | U 7.5 (-120) | |
| Team | Runline | Win | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
| Hanshin Tigers | +1.5 (-170) | +135 | O 6.5 (-130) | 5 a.m. |
| Hiroshima Toyo Carp | -1.5 (+130) | -180 | U 6.5 (-105) | |
| Team | Runline | Win | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
| Orix Buffaloes | +1.5 (-130) | +165 | O 8.5 (-115) | 5 a.m. |
| Saitama Seibu Lions | -1.5 (-105) | -220 | U 8.5 (-115) | |
| Team | Runline | Win | Over/Under Run Total | Game Time (Eastern) |
| Yokohama DeNa BayStars | -1.5 (EVEN) | -170 | O 9.5 (-115) | 5 a.m. |
| Tokyo Yakult Swallows | +1.5 (-135) | +130 | U 9.5 (-115) |
Odds as of July 2nd.
The Dragons Are on Fire
A three-game winning streak – albeit against the Central League-worst Hanshin Tigers (2-10) – has quietly allowed the Chunichi Dragons (6-6) to climb back to the .500 mark.
Dayán Viciedo with a long shot to give the Dragons a 3-0 lead! #中日 #ビシエド pic.twitter.com/2Bg8A3n9PW
— Tom Mussa (@tom_mussa) July 2, 2020
However, their mettle will really get tested in the second half of the week as they visit the 8-3-1 Yomiuri Giants. After starting the season with four straight wins, the Giants have come back to earth, going 4-3-1 since that perfect start.
Nakajima with a huge RBI to make it 3-1 Giants! #中島裕之 #巨人 #ジャイアンツ pic.twitter.com/dKOX2N34T0
— Tom Mussa (@tom_mussa) July 2, 2020
But the Dragons should be emboldened by the presence of Yudai Ohno on the mound. His season hasn’t gotten off to the best of starts; he’s 0-1 through two games (10.0 IP) giving up 10 earned runs along the way. But hopes are high he can find his 2019 form. Last year, he was 9-8 with a 2.58 ERA, giving up just 18 home runs in 25 games, and throwing a no-hitter.
[Jul 2] Chunichi Dragons vs Hanshin Tigers game highlights from Nagoya Dome https://t.co/4xgDbpmgyO #npb
— NPB on reddit (@NPB_Reddit) July 2, 2020
The Giants will respond with Tomoyuki Sugano, who is 1-0 with a 4.97 ERA in two starts. He is 88-47 for his career, though, with a 4.97 ERA, and is a former Central League MVP. Chunichi’s hope will be that he pitches like he did in his last outing, where he gave up five earned runs in just 5.2 innings of work during a 6-5 win over the Tokyo Swallows.
Pick: Dragons (+180); O 7.5 (-110)
Tigers Turn to Nishi
Though they may have lost four straight games and tied a division record with 10 losses in their first 12 games, the Tigers have a couple of reasons to look forward to Friday’s series opener against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.
The Hanshin Tigers have tied the Central League record for reaching 10 losses in their first 12 games, tying the 2002 Yokohama Baystars https://t.co/7fvxoUjwmM #npb
— NPB on reddit (@NPB_Reddit) July 2, 2020
First, with a .500 record, Hiroshima is very much a middle-of-the-road team and has just one win its last four games.
Second, the Tigers are turning to right-hander Yuki Nishi, who has a career 84-74 record and 3.24 ERA. Nishi is still awaiting his first win in 2020, but he’s pitched well, surrendering just one home run with a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings of work.
NPB starting pitchers announced for Jul 03 #npb pic.twitter.com/yFMympXqu2
— NPB on reddit (@NPB_Reddit) July 2, 2020
The Carp will send Daichi Ohsera to the mound. The right-hander has a 54-35 career record with a 3.33 ERA and is 2-0 in 2020, giving up just two earned runs in 18 innings.
The question for Hanshin will be whether the team can improve on its offensive output, with just 24 runs in 12 games, including two shutouts. Only once have the Tigers scored more than five runs in a game.
Pick: Tigers (+135); U 6.5 (-130)
For the last 20 years, Paul Attfield has worked in sports media. Starting out in his native Britain with the likes of The Independent, he eventually switched continents, with his work appearing in the likes of the Los Angeles Times, Washington Post and Yahoo Sports since.
source https://casinonewsblogger.com/dragons-look-to-snuff-out-giants/
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