| Dennis Sarfate | |
|---|---|
 Sarfate with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1981-04-09)April 9, 1981 (age 43) Queens, New York, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| Professional debut | |
| MLB: September 3, 2006, for the Milwaukee Brewers | |
| NPB: April 14, 2011, for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp | |
| Last appearance | |
| MLB: October 4, 2009, for the Baltimore Orioles | |
| NPB: April, 2018, for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 5–4 |
| Earned run average | 4.53 |
| Strikeouts | 131 |
| NPB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 27–20 |
| Earned run average | 1.57 |
| Strikeouts | 574 |
| Saves | 234 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Dennis Scott Sarfate (born April 9, 1981) is an American former professionalbaseballpitcher. He played for theMilwaukee Brewers,Houston Astros, andBaltimore Orioles ofMajor League Baseball (MLB) and theHiroshima Toyo Carp,Saitama Seibu Lions, andFukuoka SoftBank Hawks ofNippon Professional Baseball (NPB). While an average reliever in MLB, Sarfate became one of the greatestclosers in NPB history after moving his career overseas. Sarfate holds several NPB records, including mostsaves in a season and most by a foreign-born pitcher. As of 2020, his 234 career saves rank fifth-most in NPB history. He is a 3×NPB All-Star, a 3× Pacific Leaguesaves leader, a 5×Japan Series Champion, won theJapan Series Most Valuable Player Award, won thePacific League MVP Award, and won theMatsutaro Shoriki Award.
Sarfate was born inQueens, New York, to Dennis Sarfate and Linda Williams.[1] He has two sisters, Jaime and Jennifer.[1]
Sarfate graduated fromGilbert High School inGilbert, Arizona in 1999.[1] He was anAll-American and First Team All-State, after going 10–2 with a 1.75 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 81 innings in his senior year.[1] He was theScottsdale Tribune Pitcher of the Year in 1999.[2]
TheTexas Rangers selected Sarfate in the 15th round (465th overall) of the1999 MLB draft.[2][3] He did not sign, enrolling in college. He attendedArizona State University in 2000, majoring in sports psychology, andChandler-Gilbert Community College in 2001.[1]
TheMilwaukee Brewers selected Sarfate in the ninth round (268th overall) of the2001 MLB Draft.[4] In 2003, while pitching for the Single-ABeloit Snappers in theMidwest League, he was 12–2 with a 2.84 ERA in 26 starts, and 140 strikeouts (second in the league) in 139.2 innings.[5]
He made his MLB debut on September 3, 2006, striking out three batters in 1.1 scoreless innings against theFlorida Marlins.[6] Sarfate pitched in eight games for the Brewers, with a 4.32earned run average (ERA), and 11 strikeouts in 8.1 innings.[7]
The Brewers traded Sarfate to theHouston Astros on September 11, 2007, for cash considerations.[7] After beginning his professional career as a starter, Sarfate spent 2007 as arelief pitcher. He made seven relief appearances for Houston, and was 1–0 with a 1.08 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 8.1 innings.[8]
On December 12, 2007, the Astros traded Sarfate along with designated hitter/left fielderLuke Scott,pitchersMatt Albers andTroy Patton, andthird baseman Michael Costanzo to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange forshortstopMiguel Tejada.[9]
Sarfate also began 2008 as a relief pitcher. On July 28, 2008, he was moved to the Orioles' starting rotation.[10] He returned to the bullpen after just four starts, in which he went 0–2 while allowing 18 runs in just 152⁄3 innings. Overall, in 57 games, he was 4–3 with a 4.74 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 79.2 innings.[8]
Sarfate began 2009 in the Orioles' bullpen, but was placed on thedisabled list in May after posting a 6.39 ERA in eight appearances.[11] He was activated in September, and pitched much better, posting a 3.48 ERA over 12 relief appearances. Overall, he was 0–1 in 20 relief appearances with a 5.09 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 23 innings.[8]
In 2010, Sarfate pitched with the Triple-ANorfolk Tides, where he was 2–2 with 20 saves (tied for seventh in the International League) and a 2.73 ERA in 47 games, as he struck out 72 batters in 56 innings.[5] He was named an MiLB Organization All Star.[12]
In 2011, Sarfate signed with theHiroshima Toyo Carp ofJapan'sCentral League.[13] Sarfate quickly became one of the top closers in Japanese baseball.[14] He was a 2011 All Star.[15] In 2011 he was 1–3 with 35 saves (second in the Japan Central League) and a 1.34 ERA in 57 games.[16][5] In 2012, he was 2–5 with nine saves (ninth in the league) and a 2.90 ERA in 47 games.[5][17]
He spent one season with theSaitama Seibu Lions in 2013.[18] Sarfate was 9–1 with 10 saves (seventh in theJapan Pacific League) and a 1.87 ERA (eighth) in 58 games (seventh).[5][19]
In 2014, Sarfate joined theFukuoka SoftBank Hawks, and got the final save of the2014 Japan Series. He was a 2014 All Star.[20] For the season he was 7–1 with 37 saves (second in theJapan Pacific League) and a 1.05 ERA (third) in 64 games (third).[5][21]
In 2015, Sarfate closed out the2015 Japan Series as well, as the Hawks won their second championship in a row.[22] For the season he was 5–1 with 41 saves (leading the league) and a 1.11 ERA (fourth) in 65 games (third).[5][23]
During the 2016 season, Sarfate recorded 43 saves, a new record for most single-season saves in thePacific League.[24] He was named a 2016 All Star.[25] For the season he was 0–7 with a 1.88 ERA (seventh in the league) in 64 games (second).[5][26]
On April 2, 2017, Sarfate recorded his 178th save in Japan, setting a new record for most saves by a foreign pitcher inNippon Professional Baseball history. The record was previously held byMarc Kroon of theYomiuri Giants (177).[27] On July 4, 2017, Sarfate recorded his 200th save, becoming the sixth pitcher in NPB history to reach that threshold and the first foreign pitcher. On September 5, 2017, Sarfate earned his 47th save of the season, breaking the record for most single-season saves in Japanese baseball history.[28] He finished the season leading the league with 54 saves, as he was 2–2 with a 1.09 ERA (fourth in the league) in 66 games (second).[29][5][30] Sarfate earned two saves and a win in the2017 Japan Series, and won theJapan Series Most Valuable Player Award.[31] He won thePacific League MVP.[32] He also received theMatsutaro Shoriki Award, for the year's greatest contribution to Japanese professional baseball.[33]
Sarfate had season-ending surgery on his right hip in April 2018, after pitching six innings.[34] He missed the 2019 season as well.[35][36] His 234 career saves rank seventh-most in NPB history.[37]
On October 14, 2020, Sarfate underwent hip reoperation and spent the 2020 season in rehabilitation.[38] On November 30, 2021, Sarfate announced his retirement from professional baseball, having missed the past three seasons due to injury.[39]
