The TSG Hawks announced that they’ve signed Japanese right-hander Kazumasa Yoshida. He signed after pitching with Nippon Professional Baseball’s Oisix Niigata Albirex BC team. In 34 appearances with them, he threw to a 1-3 record, posting a 2.34 ERA and striking out 30 batters in 34.2 innings of work.
Yoshida represented Japan on their national teams and for Japan in the 2012 Asian Championship and the 2013 East Asian Games. The Orix Buffaloes selected him in the first round of the 2013 NPB Draft.
Unlike the MLB, where it can take a few years to make your big league debut, Yoshida entered the Buffaloes’ rotation at 24. In his rookie season, he went 5-6, with a 3.81 ERA in 14 starts. He received a vote for the 2014 Pacific League Rookie of the Year Award, which was won by Chiba Lotte-Marines starter Ayumu Ishikawa.
His ERA would rise to 5.27 the following season, leading Yoshida to join the bullpen, where he has found himself since. Adapting to his new role in the bullpen in 2016, he became one of the most reliable bullpen pitchers for them. He collected a career-high 21 holds, with a 2.66 in 54 appearances. He would go on for another two stellar seasons in 2017-18, totaling 106 games, throwing in 149.2 innings, racking up 131 strikeouts, and walking only 42 batters in those two seasons.
His ERA rose again from 2019-20, but then came the 2021 season when he was shelled up to NPB Farm Leagues, with his ERA climbing to 7.66. After the 2021 season concluded, the Buffaloes released Yoshida.
Overall, in the NPB, he would finish with an 18-20 record and a career 3.74 ERA in 226 appearances.
In the second half of the CPBL season, the TSG Hawks are 5-10 in 15 games played thus far. The Hawks will be hoping to climb out of last place, adding Yoshida to their bullpen to relieve starters Nick Margevicius, Bradin Hagens, Chen-Yen Chiang, and Po-Ching Chan and provide a setup man for closer Reymin Guduan. Hopefully, Yoshida will adjust to his new role in the CPBL and help the Hawks put some wins on the board.
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WBN CPBL: https://worldbaseball.com/?s=CPBL
Photo Credit: TSG Hawks celebrate after winning the CPBL game between Fubon Guardians and TSG Hawks at Chengching Lake Baseball Field on April 05, 2024 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. (Photo by Gene Wang/Getty Images)
