He had already agreed the richest contract in the history of sports, was regarded as a guaranteed future Hall of Famer, and a bona fide two-way player. But winning the World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers has proved beyond any shadow of a doubt that Shohei Ohtani is a baseball legend. He is also just the latest Japanese star to make it big in Major League Baseball.
There is, of course, a long and distinguished history of Japanese-born players performing in the greatest baseball league in the world. Masanori Murakami was the first – way back in 1964 – making his debut for the San Francisco Giants as a reliever. He received a standing ovation from the crowd that day, even though his team lost.
With another baseball season in the books, all the best sports betting sites will be collating information ahead of next year when the Dodgers defend their title. Ohtani will undoubtedly give his team a great chance of back-to-back triumphs. But we thought we would take time out to salute some of the other great Japanese players to grace the league over the years.
Daisuke Matsuzaka
The first player ever to win a World Series and a World Baseball Classic, Daisuke Matsuzaka made the switch to Major League Baseball in 2007, playing for both the Boston Red Sox and the New York Mets before returning to Japan to play out the final six years of his career. Although he was beset by injuries, Matsuzaka won a World Series in his first year in the US.
Although he was a very in-demand pitcher, he was also handy with the bat, proving especially important for the Red Sox during the postseason in 2007 where he scored in game three of the World Series to help Boston to victory.
Hideki Matsui
Nicknamed “Godzilla”, Matsui was one of the first Japanese big hitters to successfully transition into Major League Baseball. It wasn’t only his hitting talent that attracted the New York Yankees though. He had played 1,250 consecutive games for his previous team in the NPB and went on to appear in an incredible 518 games in a row for the Yankees.
A two-time All-Star, Matsui won the 2009 World Series with the Yankees, becoming the first and only Asian so far to be named MVP. After seven years in New York, he finished his career by playing a year each for the Angels, A’s, and Rays, hitting 175 MLB home runs in the process. He was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018.
Hideo Nomo
Nomo became the first Japanese player to permanently relocate to Major League Baseball when he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1995. As we have seen, he was not the first of his countrymen to appear in the league but he is credited with paving the way for future generations due to his star quality and status.
He immediately made his presence felt in the US, winning the National League Rookie of the Year Award and was also a Strikeout Leader and All-Star in his first year in the league. He is best remembered for his distinctive corkscrew pitching style and the two no-hitters he threw during his career.
Yu Darvish
Arriving in Major League Baseball in 2012 with a reputation as possibly the finest pitcher in Japan, Yu Darvish has now completed 12 years in the US with a number of teams. His talent is so appreciated by his current ball club, the Padres, that they have signed him to an extension until 2028 when he will be 42 years of age.
Darvish threw 277 strikeouts in just his second year in MLB and reached the 500 mark pitching fewer innings than any other player in the league’s history. A five-time All-Star, Darvish lost the 2017 World Series while with the Los Angeles Dodgers but was later vindicated as being the victim of the Astro’s sign-stealing scandal.
Ichiro Suzuki
A perennial MVP candidate at his peak while with the Seattle Mariners, Ichiro Suzuki had already won numerous awards in his homeland before making the jump to Major League Baseball in 2001. He is best known for his two stints with the Mariners but also played for the Yankees and the Marlins before retiring in 2018.
One of the finest leadoff hitters and defensive outfielders in the history of the game, Suzuki was named AL Rookie of the Year in 2001 and went on to be named an All-Star on ten occasions. He still holds the league record for hits in a single season at 262 and was inducted into the Mariners Hall of Fame in 2022.
The Ohtani Era
Japanese players are now commonplace in Major League Baseball and the importance of Shohei Ohtani to the Dodgers 2024 World Series win cannot be overestimated. Consistently walked by the Yankees, afraid of his big-hitting style of play, Ohtani showed exactly why he was so coveted after starring for the Angels previously.
Although it was Freddie Freeman who ultimately won the World Series MVP award, it will be Ohtani who is feared by every opponent next season. Don’t be surprised if the latest Japanese star export to Major League Baseball takes the Dodgers back to the Fall Classic again in the very near future.
