Hisashi Iwakuma

Hisashi Iwakuma is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher whose career included significant tenures in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and Major League Baseball (MLB). Known for his control, endurance, and ability to limit baserunners, Iwakuma recorded more than 100 wins in NPB and earned All-Star honors in both leagues. He played in NPB for the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes and the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, before joining the Seattle Mariners in MLB.

Iwakuma's career in Japan featured a peak season in which he posted a 21–4 record with a 1.87 ERA. He was a three-time NPB All-Star, two-time Best Nine Award winner, and recipient of the Eiji Sawamura Award and MVP. He became the third MVP in Nippon Professional Baseball history from a fifth-place team. Iwakuma also represented Japan in the World Baseball Classic, where he delivered a 1–1 record with a 1.35 ERA, allowing only 12 hits in 20 innings and striking out 15.

After signing with the Seattle Mariners, Iwakuma made 30 appearances in his first MLB season before becoming a regular in the starting rotation. He posted a 2.66 ERA in 33 starts with 185 strikeouts in 219.2 innings pitched. Iwakuma finished third in American League Cy Young Award voting, establishing himself as one of the top pitchers in MLB.

A highlight of Iwakuma's MLB career was pitching a no-hitter against the Baltimore Orioles at Safeco Field, marking the fifth no-hitter in Mariners history and his first complete game in MLB. He became the second Japanese-born pitcher to throw a no-hitter in MLB and the 17th pitcher since 1914 to achieve a no-hitter in his first career complete game. The performance earned him the American League Player of the Week Award.

Iwakuma missed an entire season while recovering from shoulder surgery and later signed with the Yomiuri Giants in NPB before retiring due to ongoing shoulder issues. Over his career, Iwakuma compiled a 107–69 record with a 3.25 ERA and 1,175 strikeouts in NPB, and a 63–39 record with a 3.42 ERA and 714 strikeouts in MLB, demonstrating consistent performance in both Japanese and American professional baseball.