Hirokazu Sawamura

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Hirokazu Sawamura
Sawamura hirokazu (crop).jpg
Sawamura with the Yomiuri Giants in 2012
Boston Red Sox – No. 19
Pitcher
Born: (1988-04-03) April 3, 1988 (age 33)
Tochigi, Japan
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Professional debut
NPB: April 15, 2011, for the Yomiuri Giants
MLB: April 2, 2021, for the Boston Red Sox
NPB statistics
(through 2020 season)
Win–loss record48–52
Earned run average2.77
Strikeouts790
Saves75
Holds64
MLB statistics
(through August 21, 2021)
Win–loss record4–1
Earned run average2.82
Strikeouts52
Teams
Career highlights and awards
hide
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  Japan
2015 WBSC Premier12
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Tokyo Team
Last updated on: September 11, 2020

Hirokazu Sawamura (澤村 拓一, Sawamura Hirokazu, born April 3, 1988) is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Yomiuri Giants and Chiba Lotte Marines. Listed at 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) and 212 pounds (96 kg), he throws and bats right-handed.[1]

Baseball career[]

Sawamura played college baseball for Chuo University in Tokyo.[2]

Yomiuri Giants[]

Sawamura played nine seasons for the Yomiuri Giants during 2011–2020;[3] he missed the 2017 season due to a shoulder injury.[4] In 2011, he was named the Central League Rookie of the Year.[5] In 2013, he was named MVP of the first game of the NPB All-Star Series.[6] During his first four seasons with the Giants, he was predominantly a starting pitcher; after 2014, he only appeared for the Giants as a relief pitcher.[1] As a closer during 2015 and 2016, he recorded 36 and 37 saves, respectively.[3] During his nine seasons with the Giants, he compiled a 48–50 win–loss record with 74 saves.[3]

Sawamura played for the Giants in three Japan Series, the annual championship series of NPB. He was the starting and winning pitcher of Game 2 in 2012,[7] which the Giants went on to win in six games over the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. He pitched as a reliever in 2013,[8] when the Giants lost in seven games to the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, and in 2019,[9] when the Giants lost in four games to the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.

Chiba Lotte Marines[]

On September 8, 2020, Sawamura was traded to the Chiba Lotte Marines.[10] With the Marines in 2020, he appeared in 22 games, pitching to an 0–2 record with one save and a 1.71 earned run average (ERA) while striking out 29 batters in 21 innings pitched.[3] After the season, Sawamura became a free agent.[11]

Boston Red Sox[]

On February 16, 2021, Sawamura officially signed a two-year, $3 million contract with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB).[12] He made his MLB debut on April 2, pitching in relief against the Baltimore Orioles.[13] He earned his first MLB win on April 23, after pitching 1+1⁄3 innings of scoreless relief against the Seattle Mariners.[14] Sawamura was placed on the injured list on July 23 due to right triceps inflammation;[15] he returned to the Red Sox on July 30.[16] On August 31, he was placed on the COVID-related list.[17][18]

International career[]

Sawamura was selected to the Japan national baseball team for the 2013 World Baseball Classic.[19] He also pitched for Japan in the 2015 WBSC Premier12 tournament.[20]

Scouting report[]

Sawamura throws a fastball topping out at 99 mph (159 km/h),[21] a splitter, and a slider.[22] In college, he also featured a curveball.[2]

Personal[]

Sawamura gained attention from NBC Sports for singing a rendition of an Alicia Keys song that Eduardo Rodríguez posted on his Instagram account.[23]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "Hirokazu Sawamura Japanese Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Ota, Kozo (October 26, 2010). "2010 NPB Draft Preview: Players to Watch". tokyoswallows.com. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Sawamura, Hirokazu". NPB.jp. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  4. ^ "Yomiuri Giants apologize to Hirokazu Sawamura". yakyudb.com. September 11, 2017. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  5. ^ Gibson, John E. (1 December 2011). "Sawamura, Makita top rookies". yomiuri.co.jp. The Daily Yomiuri. Archived from the original on 1 December 2011 – via Wayback Machine.
  6. ^ "Otani puts talent on display in All-Star opener". The Japan Times. July 19, 2013. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  7. ^ "Sunday, October 28, 2012". Nippon Professional Baseball. Retrieved October 28, 2012.
  8. ^ "Sunday, October 27, 2013". Nippon Professional Baseball. Retrieved October 27, 2013.
  9. ^ "Saturday, October 19, 2019". Nippon Professional Baseball. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  10. ^ Baarda, Ted (14 December 2020). "Need a reliever? A couple from the NPB might work". sportsinfosolutionsblog.com. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  11. ^ "Baseball: Free agent reliever Sawamura in U.S. for talks". kiji.is. Kyodo News. February 5, 2021. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  12. ^ "Boston Red Sox sign right-hander Hirokazu Sawamura to two-year contract with option for 2023". ESPN.com. AP. February 16, 2021.
  13. ^ "Orioles vs. Red Sox". ESPN.com. April 2, 2021. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  14. ^ "Mariners vs. Red Sox". ESPN.com. April 23, 2021. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  15. ^ Cotillo, Chris (July 23, 2021). "Boston Red Sox roster moves: Hirokazu Sawamura (tricep) placed on injured list, Phillips Valdez called up from WooSox". MassLive.com. Retrieved July 23, 2021 – via MSN.com.
  16. ^ "Red Sox Roster & Staff – Transactions". MLB.com. Boston Red Sox. July 2021. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
  17. ^ "Red Sox Roster & Staff – Transactions". MLB.com. Boston Red Sox. August 2021. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  18. ^ Snyder, Matt (August 31, 2021). "Red Sox pull Xander Bogaerts from game after positive COVID test as club's outbreak grows". CBS Sports. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  19. ^ "2013 World Baseball Classic". npb.or.jp (in Japanese). 20 February 2013.
  20. ^ "Teams & rosters: JPN". premier12.wbsc.org. 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  21. ^ "Tomase: Shades of former Sox All-Star in potential bullpen signing?".
  22. ^ Franco, Anthony (February 10, 2021). "Red Sox Making Progress On Deal With Hirokazu Sawamura". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  23. ^ Leger, Justin (June 29, 2021). "Red Sox reliever Hirokazu Sawamura singing Alicia Keys will make your day". NBC Sports. Retrieved July 8, 2021.

External links[]

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