The 2025 Nippon Professional Baseball season is off to a strong start, and pitchers are already making headlines with electric performances. Here are five standout outings from the opening week.
Shoma Kanemura vs. Seibu Lions – March 28: 9.0 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 105 P
Kanemura went toe-to-toe with last year’s NPB strikeout king Tatsuya Imai on opening day, with both pitchers going the distance. But while Imai coughed up two late solo shots, Kanemura held firm, tossing an efficient shutout on 105 pitches. The 24-year-old, who was in the Pacific League Rookie of the Year conversation last season, showcased his deep eight-pitch arsenal to great effect, carving through the first ten batters of the night without allowing a baserunner. The Fighters’ right-hander generated just seven swinging strikes but kept hard contact to a minimum, sealing his first career complete game by getting Leandro Cedeno to bounce into a double play.
Hiroya Miyagi vs. Rakuten Eagles – March 28: 8.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, 98 P
Miyagi stole the show on opening day, taking a perfect game into the eighth inning before it was broken up by a weak infield hit to first. The 23-year-old later gave up a run on a sacrifice fly but was otherwise in total command, yielding just two hits over eight innings while striking out seven. The Buffaloes’ superstar leaned heavily on his trademark fastball-slider combo, especially against same-handed hitters, with the two pitches accounting for nearly 90% of his mix. He relentlessly pounded the gloveside corners for strikes, finishing with a downright dominant 40.8 CSW% – the best mark in NPB so far in 2025.
Kyle Muller vs. Yomiuri Giants – April 1: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 K, 97 P
Muller dazzled in his NPB debut for the Chunichi Dragons, striking out 50% of the 18 batters he faced on Tuesday. Though Kazuma Okamoto tagged him for a solo homer, the former top prospect flashed top-of-the-rotation stuff, attacking lefties with a healthy dose of sliders and cutters, and baffling righties with filthy outside changeups. He also averaged 93 mph on his four-seamer while generating 18 whiffs, tied for the most in a start this year.
Yasuhiro Ogawa vs. Hiroshima Carp – April 3: 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 92 P
Ogawa may not be the strikeout artist he once was, but the Swallows veteran opened his 2025 campaign in style with a two-hit Maddux. The 34-year-old kept hitters off balance with his intense nine-pitch mix, zoning it to a 72% first-strike rate. Despite recording just four strikeouts and nine whiffs, Ogawa now holds the highest Game Score of any NPB start.
Anthony Kay vs. Hanshin Tigers – April 3: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 98 P
Fresh off an impressive postseason run that helped the BayStars capture the Japan Series, Kay picked up right where he left off with seven scoreless frames, racking up eight strikeouts and 17 whiffs on Thursday. His four-seam fastball sat at 94.5 mph, well above the NPB average for left-handers. The 30-year-old spammed righties inside with cutters, generating an elite 50% whiff rate, while relying more on four-seamers and sinkers against lefties. His slider, which he features as both a sweeper and a more gyro variant, was an effective weapon against both, producing a combined 44% whiff rate.
