Yu Darvish, a pitcher from the Major League Baseball Padres, will be the opening pitcher for this season.
This is the third major role for Darvish pitcher for the second consecutive year.
Padres coach Melvin announced on March 31 that Darvish will start the match against Diamondbacks on April 7 in his hometown of Phoenix, Arizona.
Darvish has been the opening pitcher for the Padres last season and has been a major player for the second year in a row, the third time including 2017 during the Rangers era.
Pitcher Darvish fell ill in the second half of the season due to a hip injury last season, with a record of 8 wins and 11 losses and an earned run average of 4.22. He throws 7 innings and shows a stable pitching with an ERA of 1.29.
It has been decided that Angels Shohei Ohtani will also serve as the opening pitcher this season, and following last season's Darvish pitcher and Twins pitcher Kenta Maeda, two Japanese pitchers will rise to the starting pitcher in the opening game this season as well. increase.
The most is Masahiro Tanaka's 4 times
There are six Japanese pitchers who have served as the opening pitchers in the major leagues, and the most are Masahiro Tanaka, who belonged to the Yankees, four times.
Pitcher Tanaka has served as the opening pitcher for the third consecutive year from 2015 to 2017, and has experienced the most four times as a Japanese pitcher, including 2019.
Next, Hideo Nomo has experienced three times in 2000 during the Tigers era and 2003 and 2004 during the Dodgers era, and Darvish pitchers will be lined up this time.
In addition, Daisuke Matsuzaka served once in 2008 during the Red Sox era, Hiroki Kuroda during the Dodgers era in 2009, and Kenta Maeda, pitcher of the Twins, once each last season.
In addition, Angels Shohei Ohtani will also play in the opening game of this season at the same time, and the number of Japanese pitchers will be seven.