Junichi Tazawa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Junichi Tazawa田澤純一 |
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Tazawa with the Marlins in 2017
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| ENEOS – No. 36 | |||
| Pitcher | |||
| Born: June 6, 1986 Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan |
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| Professional debut | |||
| MLB: August 7, 2009, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| CPBL: March 17, 2021, for the Wei Chuan Dragons | |||
| MLB statistics (through 2018 season) |
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| Win–loss record | 21-26 | ||
| ERA | 4.12 | ||
| Strikeouts | 374 | ||
| CPBL statistics (through 2021 season) |
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| Win–loss record | 4-4 | ||
| ERA | 3.56 | ||
| Strikeouts | 36 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Junichi Tazawa (田澤 純一, Tazawa Jun'ichi, born June 6, 1986) is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher. He plays for ENEOS in Japan's Industrial League. He has also played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for teams like the Boston Red Sox and Miami Marlins. He also played in Taiwan for the Wei Chuan Dragons.
Contents
Early Baseball Days
After finishing high school in Yokohama, Junichi Tazawa was not chosen by any of Japan's professional baseball teams. Instead, he joined a company team called Nippon Oil. This team played in a special league not connected to the main professional league in Japan.
In 2008, Tazawa had a fantastic year with Nippon Oil. He won 10 games and lost only 1. He had a very low earned run average (ERA) of 1.02. An ERA shows how many runs a pitcher allows per game. He also struck out 95 batters. In the national championships, he pitched two games where the other team scored no runs at all! He was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the championships.
Becoming a Professional Player
In 2008, Tazawa made a big decision. He announced he wanted to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States. This was unusual because most Japanese players first play in Japan's professional league. If he had joined a Japanese team, he would have had to wait many years to become a free agent. Or, his team would have to "post" him, allowing MLB teams to bid for him.
To avoid problems, Tazawa asked Japanese teams not to pick him in their draft. All 12 teams agreed. However, they made a rule that any amateur player who signs with an overseas team must wait two or three years before they can play in Japan.
Some people thought there was a "gentlemen's agreement" between Japanese and U.S. baseball leagues. This agreement would stop MLB teams from signing young Japanese players directly. But a top MLB official said no such agreement existed.
Playing for the Boston Red Sox
On December 4, 2008, Tazawa signed a contract with the Boston Red Sox. He became only the third Japanese player to join MLB without first playing professionally in Japan.
He started his journey in the minor leagues. He played for the Portland Sea Dogs (a Double-A team) and then the Pawtucket Red Sox (a Triple-A team). He did very well, earning a spot on the Eastern League All-Star team.
Tazawa made his MLB debut on August 7, 2009. He pitched against the New York Yankees. His first major league start was on August 11, 2009, against the Detroit Tigers. He pitched five innings and helped his team win the game.
In April 2010, Tazawa had to have Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. This is a common surgery for baseball pitchers. It meant he missed the entire 2010 season. He worked hard to recover and returned to play in 2011.
In 2012, Tazawa had a great season, pitching very well for the Red Sox. He even earned his first career save, which means he finished a game and protected his team's lead.
In 2013, Tazawa became a key player for the Red Sox. He pitched important innings late in games, helping his team win the 2013 World Series. He was a big part of their championship run. In 13 playoff games, he allowed only one run.
He became a free agent after the 2016 season.
Other MLB Teams
On December 16, 2016, Tazawa signed with the Miami Marlins. He played for them in 2017 and part of 2018. He then briefly played for the Los Angeles Angels in 2018.
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After leaving MLB, Tazawa continued his career in different leagues. He signed minor league deals with the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds.
Playing in Asia and Mexico
In 2020, Tazawa returned to Japan to play for the Saitama Musashi Heat Bears. In 2021, he signed with the Wei Chuan Dragons in Taiwan's professional league. He became their main closing pitcher, earning 30 saves that season. A closer is a pitcher who finishes the game and tries to protect a lead.
In 2022, Tazawa played briefly for the Generales de Durango in the Mexican League.
Back to ENEOS
On September 7, 2022, Tazawa signed again with ENEOS, the semi-pro team in Japan where he started his career. He had led ENEOS to a championship in 2008. While playing for the Red Sox, Tazawa had even helped the team get a sponsorship deal with ENEOS, a motor oil company.
Pitching Style
Junichi Tazawa uses three main pitches when he plays:
- A fastball that usually goes between 92 and 95 miles per hour (and can reach 97 mph!).
- A curveball that is slower, around 73–77 mph.
- A forkball or splitter that moves like a fastball but drops suddenly, thrown at 86–88 mph.
See also
In Spanish: Junichi Tazawa para niños
