Sho Iwasaki Explained

Sho Iwasaki
Position:Pitcher
Team:Chunichi Dragons
Number:16
Birth Date:21 October 1989
Birth Place:Funabashi, Chiba, Japan
Bats:Right
Throws:Right
Debutleague:NPB
Debutdate:July 23
Debutyear:2008
Debutteam:Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
Statyear:2021 season
Statleague:NPB
Stat1label:Win–loss record
Stat1value:30-33
Stat2label:ERA
Stat2value:3.48
Stat3label:Holds
Stat3value:96
Stat4label:Saves
Stat4value:11
Stat5label:Strikeouts
Stat5value:424
Teams:
Awards:

is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Chunichi Dragons in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. He formerly played for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.

Professional career

On October 3, 2007, Iwasaki was drafted by the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks in the 2007 Nippon Professional Baseball draft.

2008–2010 season

On July 23, 2008, Iwasaki pitched his debut game as a starting pitcher against the Orix Buffaloes.[1]

In 2008 - 2010 season, he pitched 8 games in the Pacific League.

2011–2015 season

On May 13, 2011, Iwasaki won the game for the first time in 4 years.[2] In 2011 season, he finished the regular season with a 13 Games pitched, a 6–2 Win–loss record, a 2.72 ERA, a 33 strikeouts in 79 1/3 innings. And he was selected as the Japan Series roster in the 2011 Japan Series.[3]

In 2012 season, Iwasaki finished the regular season with a 29 Games pitched, a 5–10 Win–loss record, a 3.14 ERA, a 3 Holds, a 77 strikeouts in 120 1/3 innings.

In 2013 season, Iwasaki pitched as a relief pitcher, and finished the regular season with a 47 Games pitched, a 1–4 Win–loss record, a 4.33 ERA, a 14 Holds, a two Saves, a 54 strikeouts in 68 2/3 innings.

In 2014 season, Iwasaki pitched as a starting pitcher, and finished the regular season with a 18 Games pitched, a 4–1 Win–loss record, a 4.06 ERA, a 3 Holds, a 37 strikeouts in 62 innings. And he pitched as a relief pitcher in the 2014 Japan Series.

In 2015 season, Iwasaki finished the regular season with a 8 Games pitched, a 1–0 Win–loss record, a 6.75 ERA, a 2 Holds, a 5 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings. And he was selected as the Japan Series roster in the 2015 Japan Series.[4]

2016–2020 season

In 2016 season, Iwasaki finished the regular season with a 35 Games pitched, a 4–2 Win–loss record, a 1.95 ERA, a 2 Holds, one Saves, a 61 strikeouts in 87 2/3 innings.

In 2017 season, Iwasaki finished the regular season as a Setup man with a 6–3 Win–loss record, a 1.99 ERA, 66 strikeouts in 72 1/3 innings, a 40 Holds, and a 2 saves, and he won the 2017 Pacific League Hold Champion with 72 Games pitched (Hawks's new record[5]), the most in the Pacific League.[6] And he pitched as a Setup man in the 2017 Japan Series.

On April 10, 2018, Iwasaki had right elbow surgery and spent the rest of the season on rehabilitation.[7]

On August 21, 2019, Iwasaki made a comeback and pitched for the first time in a year and three months.[8] And he was selected as the Japan Series roster in the 2019 Japan Series.[9]

In 2020 season, Iwasaki finished the regular season with a 17 Games pitched, a 0–2 Win–loss record, a 7.20 ERA, a 10 Holds, a 20 strikeouts in 15 innings. In the 2020 Japan Series against the Yomiuri Giants, He pitched in two games, Game 2 and Game 4, and contributed to the team's fourth consecutive Japan Series champion with no hits and no runs.[10]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Game report (Japanese) 2008/07/23(水)第14回戦 福岡ソフトバンク vs オリックス. ja-JP. Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Official site. July 23, 2008. November 28, 2019.
  2. Web site: Sports Nippon baseball news (Japanese) ソフト岩崎、4年目で涙のプロ1勝「幸せです」. ja-JP. Sports Nippon. May 14, 2011. November 28, 2019.
  3. Web site: Nippon Professional Baseball (Japanese) コナミ日本シリーズ2011 出場資格者 福岡ソフトバンクホークス. ja-JP. NPB.jp. November 28, 2019.
  4. Web site: 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). ja-JP. NPB.jp. November 28, 2019.
  5. Web site: 最優秀中継ぎのホークス岩嵜、72登板で球団新46HP「まさかこんなに投げるとは」. ja-JP. full-count.jp. October 10, 2017. November 29, 2019.
  6. Web site: 2017年度 表彰選手(パシフィック・リーグ). ja-JP. NPB.jp. October 10, 2019.
  7. Web site: Nikkan Sports baseball news (Japanese) ソフトバンク岩崎12日右ひじ手術 全治まで3カ月. ja-JP. Nikkan Sports. April 11, 2018. November 29, 2019.
  8. Web site: Nishinippon Shimbun baseball news (Japanese) SB岩崎507日ぶり登板 ファン大歓声「素直にうれしかった」. ja-JP. Nishinippon Shimbun. August 22, 2019. November 29, 2019.
  9. Web site: Nippon Professional Baseball (Japanese) SMBC日本シリーズ2019 出場資格者名簿(福岡ソフトバンクホークス). ja-JP. NPB.jp. November 28, 2019.
  10. Web site: Nippon Professional Baseball (Japanese) 2020年度 福岡ソフトバンクホークス 個人投手成績 (日本シリーズ). ja-JP. NPB.jp. March 12, 2021.