Japanese Trios (Excluding Ohtani) Are Overpowering MLB Batters
September 1, 1964, saw a historic moment with 20-year-old Masanori Murakami making his debut with the San Francisco Giants as a left-hander hailing from Japan. Today, the Major Leagues are filled with spin-doctors from the Land of the Rising Sun, and boy, they've been impressive!
At the ripe old age of 80, Murakami must be dazzled by the incalculable number of talented Japanese pitchers flaunting their tricks on the mounds. While old scouts may hate generalizations, it's a well-known fact that Japanese pitchers bring an exceptional blend of personal discipline and refined pitching techniques to the big leagues.
From Hideo Nomo to the ever-impressive Yu Darvish, Japanese pitchers have risen to become masters of their craft. Shohei Ohtani burst onto the scene as an All-World hitter but proved he also had a mean fastball. Unfortunately, a Tommy John surgery derailed his pitching journey, keeping him off the mound in 2024. But fret not, fans, as the Dodgers plan to ease him back into the game as the 2025 season kicks off.
Three Japanese pitchers, other than Ohtani, have garnered this old scout's attention recently:
- Roki Sasaki, an up-and-coming star with the Los Angeles Dodgers
- The Cubs' veteran Shota Imanaga
- The ever-reliable Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Dodgers
Here's a quick rundown of these pitching prodigies:
Roki Sasaki, 23-years-old, Los Angeles Dodgers, RHP
Sasaki, the tallest of the three, is still a youngster in the eyes of the MLB, meaning he comes under the club control for six years and starts on a rookie salary. The Dodgers nabbed him as part of a frenzied competition between multiple clubs, inking a $6.5 million signing bonus to secure his services. This spring, Sasaki's been untouchable on the mound.
Sasaki has three pitches in his arsenal; a four-seam fastball, a slider, and a splitter. According to brooksbaseball.net, the fastball is his primary weapon, clocking in at a scorching 100.35 miles per hour and making up 59.77% of his arsenal.
Shota Imanaga, 31-years-old, Chicago Cubs, LHP
The "ace" of the Cubs' staff, Imanaga landed a two-year, $22.5 million contract with the North Siders in 2024. He's a master of deception, with hitters constantly guessing which of his six quality pitches he'll throw.
Imanaga's repertoire includes a four-seam fastball, sinker, changeup, slider, curve, and splitter. He catches hitters off-guard by setting them up with the fastball and split before unleashing his oft-deadly arsenal of secondary offerings.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 26-years-old, Los Angeles Dodgers
Last year, the Dodgers inked Yamamoto to a jaw-dropping 12-year, $325 million deal. Despite getting sidelined by injuries in 2024 - a right rotator cuff injury and a right triceps issue limited him to 18 starts and 90 innings pitched - he was effective, especially with his devastating split and sinker.
Having made his Major League debut on March 21, 2024, Yamamoto has already proven he belongs in the big leagues. He was healthy enough to take part in the postseason, starring in four Dodgers games, including one in the World Series win against the New York Yankees.
- In the upcoming 2025 season, Roki Sasaki, a towering 23-year-old pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, stands to earn a rookie salary as he enters his six-year club control.
- Shota Imanaga, the seasoned 31-year-old left-hander for the Chicago Cubs, demonstrated his mastery of deception in 2024 by boasting six quality pitches, keeping hitters on their toes.
- The Los Angeles Dodgers inked Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a dependable 26-year-old pitcher, to an unprecedented 12-year, $325 million deal in 2023, despite his setbacks with injuries that restricted him to just 18 starts in 2024.
