The 2019 NPB season is nearly 100 games through for each team and suddenly, there is an interesting race after what was thought to be some easy pennant titles already locked up. We have a new No. 1 ranked team making their first appearance at the top.
Others have shifted up and down after interleague play, but each team has given a storyline to follow. Here is how the power rankings look after games through July 31:
Reminder: Power Rankings are not decided by win and loss record, that's what standings are for.
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1. [^] (10) Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (51-42-4, 16-6 in July)
The experiments and progressive style of baseball is finally paying off for the Fighters, who had to readjust after losing Naoyuki Uwasawa for the reason. They've been very tight with their starting pitchers and while not using a true one inning opener, they're getting the best out of their arms.
Bryan Rodriguez is having an outstanding second year while Ryo Akiyoshi has refound his form as a closer since being traded from the Swallows. Bats are timely with hits and this looks like a contending team to be an answer to the Softbank Hawks.
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2. [=] Yomiuri Giants (53-40-1, 13-10 in July)
The Giants stay on top of the Central League and still have control of it. Their core offensive players are still performing and it doesn't look like it will slow down anytime soon. Shun Yamaguchi should be in the Sawamura conversation while Hayato Sakamoto is an MVP candidate. Tomoyuki Sugano has also performed better in what is a down year by his standards.
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3. [^] (4) Yokohama DeNA Baystars (50-44-3, 15-8-1 in July)
The Baystars have climbed the mountain after starting the season in dead last. Their starting pitching has lived up to hype while the hitting has also improved. It doesn't hurt that Toshiro Miyazaki has been on fire offensively while Neftali Soto continues to hit home runs. Quietly. Yoshitomo Tsutsugo still has fewer than 20. Their pickup of Hikaru Ito has also been a plus (despite being hurt) and a steal from the Orix Buffaloes. Also, a big welcome back to Haruhiro Hamaguchi, who spent a lot of this year injured. Rami-chan's Baystars look to be the best answer to the Giants in the Central.
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4. [v] (1) Fukuoka Softbank Hawks (52-42-4, 11-12 in July)
A mediocre July has put the Hawks in a position similar to 2016, where the Fighters are right behind them. Even with all the struggles and questionable hitting, the Hawks are competing with younger players in Kotaro Otake, Rei Takahashi and Jumpei Takahashi as part of their pitching staff. This team won't go away, but the injuries have taken its toll with Yuki Yanagita out for awhile and Kenta Imamiya just returning.
Yurisbel Gracial should be an MVP candidate in the Pacific League, as he has picked up the slack offensively. The organization's depth is why there is no reason to panic despite a questionable month.
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5. [^] (6) Hiroshima Carp (49-46-3, 11-12 in July)
The Carp began this month with an awful losing streak, but they've appeared to have rebounded and put themselves in third place in the Central League. Seiya Suzuki continues to carry this offense while Kosuke Tanaka has weighed them down. There is plenty of depth and baseball left for this team to compete, but which one will show up? The ones who were cold in interleague or the red hot team from May?
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6. [v] (5) Saitama Seibu Lions (48-45-1, 11-11 in July)
Not a great month for the Lions, but they're also not dead by winning just enough to stay in the hunt. Pitching isn't there to last, but the offense is arguably the most balanced in NPB with plenty of speed and power for any pitcher's nightmare. Even with Hotaka Yamakawa going backwards, Takeya "Okawari-kun" Nakamura has picked it up lately. Pitching needs to improve in order to be taken seriously.
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7. [^] (8) Chiba Lotte Marines (45-47-2, 11-12 in July)
It was another month for the Marines to not fall backwards, but also not take run forward. It doesn't help when a Core-4 pitcher in Ayumu Ishikawa gets relegated to the bullpen and Shogo Nakamura is having a slow year, but others are picking up the slack from the former captain Daichi Suzuki to Takashi Ogino staying healthy.
Mike Bolsinger has looked better too, but the Marines need star power if they want postseason baseball. So far, it's been Brandon Laird while the pitching is not what it was last year. They're only one string of wins away from a playoff spot, so anything can happen.
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8. [^] (9) Hanshin Tigers (44-48-5, 9-12-1 in June)
The Tigers move up by default with other teams faltering. Their defense is the big liability holding them back while the rotation has its ups and downs. Bullpen is a strength on paper, but even then, they had to make a shuffle with their roster as Rafael Dolis was demoted.
They're hoping to find some lightning in a bottle with Yangervis Solarte as their recent import signing. We'll see how this plays out as he had a decent first week with the ichi-gun.
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9. [v] (4) Rakuten Eagles (47-46-2, 8-14 in July)
The Eagles take a fall after playing well majority of the year. Pitching has taken a step backwards even with Takahiro Norimoto back from his injury. Hitting was colder, but the bullpen appears to be a strength going forward as they can hang with anyone.
Their starting pitching depth has been exposed through this month as several guys came up and down. However, their biggest hole is at catcher with Motohiro Shima looking past his prime and Ayatsugu Yamashita being unimpressive.
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10. [v] (7) Orix Buffaloes (41-50-5, 10-12 in July)
Just when you think Orix turned the corner and had momentum in their favor after interleague play, they give it all right back. Since Interleague play, Orix is 10-14 and they built nothing on last month's success. This appears to be another season of wasted starting pitching unless they turn it around offensively.
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11. [^] (12) Tokyo Yakult Swallows (37-58-2, 9-12 in July)
The Swallows reached the magic number of being at least 20 games under .500. They're getting decent outings out of former Hawks pitcher Hiroki Yamada, but this season is already a lost cause with both sides of the game being awful when it matters most. This month had a cold Tetsuto Yamada after he was killing it earlier. Only one team emerged to be worse than the Swallows.
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12. [v] (11) Chunichi Dragons (43-52, 10-13 in July)
The Dragons looked like they were on Cloud 9 to start the month with an eight-game winning streak, but it was followed by an eight-game losing streak right after, cancelling out any progress they made. At one point, they were even tied for second place with the Baystars. The loss of Shuhei Takahashi to injury has to hurt, but there are other issues too.
If only the Dragons bullpen could even be adequate, we might be talking about a playoff team, but the relief options are unreliable. One thing they're good for? Beating the Hanshin Tigers, where they have a 10-5 record against them. It's possible that could be a difference maker between A-class and B-class for the Tigers.
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Conclusion:
This is a very interesting race in both leagues, with the Pacific League having 2.5 games separate third place from first place. In the Central, it's possible the Yomiuri Giants will not run away yet, as two teams have played better since the start of July. Only the Swallows are "dead", but the Dragons could be joining them in misery soon. We'll see how this plays out.
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