Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks by 2
Always one for digging into the data, I find myself intrigued by this upcoming matchup. The Orix Buffaloes stampede into this game with a more impressive regular season record, posting a solid 12-7, compared to the SoftBank Hawks' slightly less inspiring 7-11. The Buffaloes have been a bit inconsistent recently, though, highlighting a potentially troubling lack of bullpen depth that could come into play in the later innings.
Now, if we turn our eyes and hearts to the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, you'll see they've been on a bit of a roller coaster ride. They overall fall short against the Buffaloes in the win-loss department, and their rather 'meh' recent performance may not scream "sure thing", but the past matchups between these two teams paints a slightly different picture. More often than not, the Hawks have landed on top, much like a hawk swooping down for its prey.
Toast me like a marshmallow and call me a s'more, but if everything holds to form, and history has a way of repeating itself, Orix might find themselves in deep water in this maelstrom of a matchup. Against the odds and the whispers of the crowd, the Hawks might just be soaring to new heights on the wings of victory here.
Albert’s Prediction: Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks by 2
