Hisashi Iwakuma

Professional career

The Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes picked Iwakuma in the fifth round of the 1999 NPB draft. He spent his rookie season with the Buffaloes' nigun team, making only two appearances in the Western League. He made his ichigun debut on May 29, earning his first career win in relief against the Nippon-Ham Fighters despite giving up a run over 1 innings. His first start came on June 10 against the Fighters, and he threw his first career complete game, a two-hit shutout, against the Seibu Lions on September 18, finishing the year with a 4–2 record and playing an important role in the Buffaloes' league title.

Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes

The following season he secured a spot in the starting rotation, going 8–7 with a 3.69 ERA in 141 innings. He enjoyed a breakout year, going 15–10 with a 3.45 ERA and 149 strikeouts, leading the league with 11 complete games. In 2004 he began the season 12–0, establishing a franchise record for most consecutive wins to start the season, and finished with a 15–2 record, leading the league in both wins and winning percentage (.882). He also pitched in Game 5 of the MLB All-Star Series held in November, holding the MLB All-Stars to one run over seven innings to earn the win.

Following the 2004 season, the Buffaloes merged with the Orix BlueWave, and Iwakuma was initially named a member of the newly formed Orix Buffaloes in a dispersal draft but refused to comply and join. He was traded to the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in exchange for cash. Iwakuma was named the Eagles' starter for the season opener, holding the Chiba Lotte Marines to one run while going the distance on March 26 and earning the expansion team's first-ever win.

Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles

He finished with a 9–15 record and an ERA of 4.99. In 2008, he recorded his first complete game shutout with the Eagles on March 27 against the Buffaloes and recorded his 10th win of the season in another complete game shutout against the Yomiuri Giants on June 15. He became the first 20-game winner in the Pacific League since Kazumi Saito in 2003, finishing with a 21–4 record, leading the league in wins, ERA (1.87), and winning percentage (.840).

He was presented the Sawamura, Most Valuable Player and Best Nine awards. Iwakuma was posted to MLB after the 2010 season, but he failed to come to an agreement with the winning bidder.

Seattle Mariners

After the 2011 season, Iwakuma signed with the Mariners. On August 12, 2015, Iwakuma became the second Japanese player ever to pitch a no-hitter in MLB, throwing a three-walk, seven-strikeout 3–0 win over the Baltimore Orioles at Safeco Field. It was also his first MLB complete game and the Mariners' fifth no-hitter in team history.

Did You Know?

• He became the first 21-game winner in 23 years in 2008, finishing with a 21–4 record.
• He was the starter for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles' season opener in 2005, earning the expansion team's first-ever win.