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Nao Higashihama

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Nao Higashihama
Higashihama with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks – No. 16
pitcher
Born: (1990-06-20) June 20, 1990 (age 34)
Yonashiro, Okinawa, Japan
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
debut
April 11, 2013, for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
NPB statistics
(through 2023 season)
Win–loss record69-42
ERA3.33
Holds0
Saves0
Strikeouts756
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  Japan
2009 Asian Baseball Championship
Gold medal – first place 2009 Japan Team

Nao Higashihama (東浜 巨, Higashihama Nao, born June 20, 1990) is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball.

Early baseball career

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Higashihama pitched in the 3rd grade spring 80th Japanese High School Baseball Invitational Tournament as Okinawa Shogaku High School ace pitcher and won.

He was selected as the Japan national baseball team in the 37th and 38th USA VS Japan Collegiate All-Star Series and 2009 Asian Baseball Championship while attending Asia University.[2][3]

Professional career

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On October 25, 2012, Higashihama was drafted by the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks first overall pick in the 2012 Nippon Professional Baseball draft.[4]

2013–2015 season

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On April 11, 2013, Higashihama pitched his debut game as a starting pitcher against the Orix Buffaloes. [5] On April 23, he won the game for the first time.[6] In 2013 season, he finished the regular season with a 5 Games pitched, a 3–1 Win–loss record, a 2.83 ERA, a 25 strikeouts in 28 2/3 innings.

In 2014 season, Higashihama finished the regular season with a 7 Games pitched, a 2–2 Win–loss record, a 3.82 ERA, a 30 strikeouts in 35 1/3 innings. And he pitched in the 2014 Japan Series and recorded a hold.

In 2015 season, Higashihama finished the regular season with a 6 Games pitched, a 1–2 Win–loss record, a 4.82 ERA, a 23 strikeouts in 28 innings. And he was selected as the Japan Series roster in the 2015 Japan Series.[7]

2016–2020 season

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In 2016 season, Higashihama finished the regular season with a 23 Games pitched, a 9–6 Win–loss record, a 3.00 ERA, a 100 strikeouts in 135 innings.

In 2017 season, Higashihama finished the regular season with a 16–5 Win–loss record, a 2.64 ERA, a 139 strikeouts in 160 innings and he won the 2017 Pacific League the most wins Champion.[8] And he pitched as a starting pitcher in the 2017 Japan Series.

On May 26, 2018, Higashihama was diagnosed with right shoulder dysfunction and spent two months in rehabilitation.[9] On August 7, he returned in the game against the Chiba Lotte Marines.[10] In 2018 season, he finished the regular season with a 17 Games pitched, a 7–5 Win–loss record, a 3.32 ERA, a 83 strikeouts in 103 innings. On October 10, he was selected Japan national baseball team at the 2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series.[11] On October 31, Higashihama pitched as a starting pitcher and won the game for the first time in the Japan Series .

On June 5, 2019, Higashihama had right elbow surgery and spent the rest of the season on rehabilitation.[12] In 2019 season, he finished the regular season with a 7 Games pitched, a 2–2 Win–loss record, a 6.37 ERA, a 26 strikeouts in 35 1/3 innings.

In the opening game of the 2020 season against the Chiba Lotte Marines on June 19, 2020, Higashihama pitched as his first opening game starter.[13] In 2020 season, he finished the regular season with a 19 Games pitched, a 9–2 Win–loss record, a 2.34 ERA, a 102 strikeouts in 119 innings. However, he was out of the 2020 Japan Series roaster due to poor condition on his right shoulder.[14]

2021 season–present

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In 2021 season, Higasihama returned to the team on May 26 after a delayed start with a sore right shoulder.[15] he recorded with a 14 Games pitched, a 4–4 Win–loss record, a 3.70 ERA, and a 61 strikeouts in 75.1 innings.

On May 11, 2022, Higashihama threw the third no-hitter in Hawks history and the first since 2019 against the Saitama Seibu Lions, and only giving up 2 walks.[16] On July 27, he participated the All-Star Game for the first time in My Navi All-Star Game 2022.[17] In 2022 season, he finished the regular season with a 23 Games pitched, a 10–6 Win–loss record, a 3.11 ERA, and a 94 strikeouts in 136 innings.

In the game against the Chiba Lotte Marines on May 6, 2023, Higashihama teamed up with Hiroki Minei, who joined the Hawks this year, for the first time since their college days, and won the game.[18] In 2023 season, he finished the regular season with a 17 Games pitched, a 6-7 Win–loss record, a 4.52 ERA, and a 73 strikeouts in 99.2 innings.

References

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  1. ^ "Nao Higashihama's no-hitter adds to strong performance by NPB pitchers in 2022". 12 May 2022.
  2. ^ "第37回 日米大学野球選手権大会 オールジャパンメンバー". All Japan University Baseball Federation Official site (in Japanese). Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  3. ^ "第38回 日米大学野球選手権大会 オールジャパンメンバー". All Japan University Baseball Federation Official site (in Japanese). Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  4. ^ "Nikkan Sports baseball news (Japanese) 【ソフトＢ １位東浜「ホッとしている」". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). October 26, 2012. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  5. ^ "Sports Nippon baseball news (Japanese) 東浜 プロ初先発で満弾洗礼も強運黒星消えた". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). April 11, 2013. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  6. ^ "Sports Nippon baseball news (Japanese) プロ初勝利の東浜「この１年自分の中でもがきながらやってきた」". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). September 23, 2013. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  7. ^ "Nippon Professional Baseball (Japanese) SMBC日本シリーズ2015 出場資格者名簿（福岡ソフトバンクホークス）". NPB.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  8. ^ "2017年度 表彰選手（パシフィック・リーグ）". NPB.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  9. ^ "Nishinippon Shimbun baseball news (Japanese) ソフトB東浜抹消…診断結果は「右肩関節機能不全」 195センチのドラ4右腕が初昇格". Nishinippon Shimbun (in Japanese). May 26, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  10. ^ "Nishinippon Shimbun baseball news (Japanese) ソフトＢ東浜、復帰戦で受難 左足首に打球直撃で４回降板". Nishinippon Shimbun (in Japanese). August 7, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  11. ^ "「2018日米野球」に出場する侍ジャパントップチーム選手全28名が決定". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). October 10, 2018. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
  12. ^ "Nikkan Sports baseball news (Japanese) ソフトバンク東浜が右肘手術、復帰まで3カ月見込み". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). June 5, 2019. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  13. ^ "Sports Hochi baseball news (Japanese) 【ソフトバンク】初の開幕投手・東浜巨が熱投 5回無失点に「無失点で中継ぎにバトンを渡せて良かった」". Sports Hochi (in Japanese). June 19, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  14. ^ "Nikkan Sports baseball news (Japanese) ソフトバンク東浜日本S出場名簿外れる、リハビリへ". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). November 19, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  15. ^ "Nishinippon Sports baseball news 東浜、復帰即白星ならず「悔い残る」2死から粘れず". Nishinippon Shimbun (in Japanese). May 26, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
  16. ^ "Hawks right-hander Nao Higashihama throws no-hitter against Lions". The Japan Times. 2022-05-11. Retrieved 2022-05-11.
  17. ^ "Nippon Professional Baseball (Japanese) マイナビオールスターゲーム2022". NPB.jp (in Japanese). July 27, 2022. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
  18. ^ "Nishinippon Sports baseball news 沖縄尚学高の選抜Vバッテリーがソフトバンクで再結成　東浜巨「ボールはあげました」嶺井博希「感慨深いところも」". Nishinippon Shimbun (in Japanese). May 6, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
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