Seven Japanese pitchers can win 46 games without Ohtani, and 50-60 next year, pitcher Ohtani returns to Suganosasaki Big League

Dec 20, 2024

Imana won 15 games in her major league debut season. He won multiple games in the National League and ranked No. 1 in ERA. USA Today Yonhap News

Yamamoto, who won the Sawamura Award for three consecutive years and moved to the Dodgers, pitched 90 innings in his first year in the Major League and won seven games. Photo capture = LA Dodgers SNS

Kikuchi won nine games for Toronto and Houston this season. Sports Chosun DB

Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers shook the Major League once again by playing as a batter this season. He took a break from pitching for a season and poured out his talents as a batter. 197 hits-54 homers-59 steals-130 RBIs. He has made unrealistic performances since his first year of moving to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Sports lights were concentrated on Ohtani, but Japanese pitchers raged on the mound.

In their Major League debut season, the two players shone brilliantly. They are left-hander Shota Imanaga (Chicago Cubs) and right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LA Dodgers).

Imanaga has played full time as a starter since his first year. He pitched 173 ⅓ innings in 29 games. He won 15 games (3 losses) and posted a 2.91-WHIP (on-base percentage per inning) 1.02. All three categories finished third in the National League. Yamamoto played only 90 innings due to his injury, but made a remarkable performance. He has seven wins (two losses) and a 3.00 ERA.

Imanaga ranked first in strikeouts in both leagues at the Yokohama BayStars last year. Yamamoto was the 'super ace' of the Orix Buffaloes. From 2021 to 2023, he won the Pacific League MVP award and the Sawamura Award for the third consecutive year. The two players once again confirmed that Japan's best pitchers work in the Major League.

Seven Japanese pitchers, including Imanagawa Yamamoto, won the Major League this season. Except for Yuki Matsui (San Diego Padres), the rest are starters. These seven Japanese pitchers have won a total of 46 games (20 losses). Yu Darvish (San Diego) won seven games (3 losses), Yusei Kikuchi (Houston Astros) won nine games (10 losses), Kenta Maeda (Detroit Tigers) won three games (7 losses), and Godai Senga (Boston Red Sox) won one. Matsui, who played in the middle game, also had four wins (2 losses and 9 holds). Imana was the only one to win in double digits.

Last season, Ohtani (10 wins), Senga (12 wins), and Kikuchi (11 wins) exceeded 10 wins. The Japanese pitcher has won 49 games in total.

Challenges continue this winter as well.

Yomiuri Giants ace Tomoyuki Sugano has already signed a contract. 'Monster Pitcher'Sasaki Rocky is looking for a team through posting. Most major teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers of Ohtani and Yamamoto, the San Diego Padres, the New York Yankees, the Seattle Mariners, and the Boston Red Sox, are Sasaki Young

San Diego Darvish and Matsui. Sports Chosun DB

Otani played only as a batter this year, recording 54 home runs-59 steals. Sports Chosun DB

I jumped on the doorstep. Although the attention is lower than that of Sugano and Sasaki, Chunichi Dragons left-hander Shinnosuke Ogasawara is also pushing for a trip to the U.S. His will was so great that the club allowed him to post. Ogasawara won 46 games in nine seasons with Chunichi.

Sugano signed a one-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles for $13 million on the 18th. It is a contract considering the age of 36 next year. Four years ago, I gave up trying to go to the U.S., but I finally achieved my dream of becoming a major league player.

Sugano is a veteran of almost everything at the Yomiuri Giants. After slowing down in recent years, he won 15 games this year and became the fourth most prolific winner. He won the Sawamura Award, which is given to the top starting pitcher, twice and the league MVP three times. He played for a total of 12 seasons and recorded 136 wins. Major League Baseball experts rate Sugano as a third or fourth starting pitcher.

Just because you go to the U.S. without intention doesn't mean you can realize your dream. Without sufficient competitiveness, it is hard to avoid disastrous failure. Uwasa and Naoyuki took the mound in two major league games this season and returned to Japan. He spent most of his time in the minor leagues. Shintaro Fujinami, who threw a 160-km/h fastball, failed to reach the major leagues. He tried to win promotion from the minor league, but failed.

Imana was the strikeout king of the Japanese professional baseball league last year. Through the posting, he moved to the Shigako Cubs and won 15 games. Sports Chosun DB

Ohtani will return as a pitcher next year. Yamamato, which will be in its second year in the Major League, can also be operated in earnest. Senga, who has been slowed down by injuries this year, is also expected to be able to take the top mound. Maeda, who will be the last season of his contract with Detroit, also pledges to revive. If they all operate normally, they can look beyond 50 wins to 60 wins.

huelva@sportschosun.com