| Takashi Saito | |
|---|---|
 Saito with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1970-02-14)February 14, 1970 (age 55) Sendai,Miyagi, Japan | |
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
| Professional debut | |
| NPB: April 7, 1992, for the Yokohama Taiyo Whales | |
| MLB: April 9, 2006, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
| Last appearance | |
| MLB: September 30, 2012, for the Arizona Diamondbacks | |
| NPB: October 4, 2015, for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles | |
| NPB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 91–81 |
| Earned run average | 3.75 |
| Strikeouts | 1,331 |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 21–15 |
| Earned run average | 2.34 |
| Strikeouts | 400 |
| Saves | 84 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
NPB
MLB | |
Takashi Saito (斎藤 隆,Saitō Takashi; born February 14, 1970) is a Japanese former professionalbaseballpitcher who is currently the chiefpitching coach for theYokohama DeNA BayStars ofNippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Saito's professional career spanned 23 years. He spent his first 13 seasons pitching for the Yokohama Taiyo Whales / BayStars in the JapaneseCentral League, compiling a record of 87–80, usually as a starter. He spent the next seven seasons inMajor League Baseball (MLB) as a closer and relief pitcher, before finishing his career in Japan with theTohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. In his first MLB season of 2006, Saito finished eighth in the National LeagueCy Young Award voting. In his second season, he was named an All-Star.[1]Dodgers broadcasterVin Scully bestowed the nickname "the Man from Miyagi" upon him, in reference to theprefecture that encompasses Saito's place of birth. He was also nicknamed "Sammy" by his Dodgers teammatesAndre Ethier andMatt Kemp, who affectionally compared him toSammy Sosa.[2]
Saito played forTohoku Fukushi University inSendai during his college years alongside players such as closerKazuhiro Sasaki (who went on to play for theSeattle Mariners) andleft fielderTomoaki Kanemoto (who went on to play for theHanshin Tigers). Saito was originally a position player, but he became apitcher in his second year in college. He was drafted in the first round by theYokohama Taiyo Whales in1991. He was an All-Star a total of four times while in Japan (1994,1996,1999 and2001), and he led theCentral League instrikeouts with 206 in 1996. He was found to have a dislocated cartilage in his right elbow in the spring of1997 and had to undergo surgery, and he spent the rest of the season rehabbing. He returned in1998,winning 13 games while posting a 2.94ERA. His team, the BayStars, also won the Japanese championship series for the second time in 38 years. He became the team's closer after incumbent Kazuhiro Sasaki left the BayStars to join the Mariners in2000. His record was 7–1 with 27saves with a 1.67 ERA in 2001. Saito returned to hisstarting role in2003 but did not win more than 6 games in a season between 2003 and2005.
Saito signed a minor league deal with theLos Angeles Dodgers as a 36-year-old rookie in 2006. He made his first Major League appearance on April 9, 2006, against thePhiladelphia Phillies, pitching 2/3 of an inning without giving up anyhits orruns. In 2006 he made 24 saves, posted a 2.07 ERA, and struck out 107 batters (the most among relievers). After stepping into the closer role recently vacated by fan favoriteÉric Gagné, he recorded his first Major League save on May 15, 2006, against theColorado Rockies.
Saito threw a 159 km/h (99 mph)fastball on June 26,2007, which at the time was claimed to be the fastest pitch thrown by a Japanese-born Major League pitcher.[3] In 2007, Saito recorded 39 saves with 78 strikeouts in 64 innings. He posted a career-best 1.40 ERA and 0.715 WHIP. He was named to the National League All-Star team for the first time in 2007 and was also named closer of the month for August of that year, and on September 25, Saito was named one of 10 finalists for theDHL Delivery Man of the Year Award.
Saito had his first career major leagueat-bat on April 23,2008. On July 18, 2008, Saito was placed on the 15-daydisabled list with a sprained ligament in his elbow. He was activated on September 13. The Dodgers did not offer Saito a contract after the 2008 season and he became a free agent.[4]
On January 10,2009, Saito signed a one-year $1.5 (+6) million contract with theBoston Red Sox with a team option for 2010.[5] He was 3–3 with a 2.53 ERA in 56 games with the Red Sox, primarily as a setup man, in 2009 (final salary: $6 million[6]).
Saito signed a one-year $3.2 million contract with theAtlanta Braves on December 3, 2009.[7] He signed a translator, Kosuke Inaji, for the 2010 season.[8] Saito had another productive year, appearing in 56 games for the second consecutive season and posting a 2.83 ERA with 69 strikeouts in 54 innings. He was released by the Braves following the 2010 season, even though he did not have enough MLB experience to qualify for free agency, as stipulated by his contract.[9]
After the 2010 season, Saito signed a one-year contract with theMilwaukee Brewers for about $3 million.[10][11] Kosuke Inaji retained his position from the previous year as Saito's translator.[8] Although he appeared in just 30 games, Saito was 4–2 with a 2.03 ERA in 2011, marking his sixth consecutive season with a sub-2.90 ERA since joining MLB in 2006. He was the third-oldest player in the National League during this season.[12]
The 2011 season with the Brewers also marked Saito's last postseason appearance in MLB play. Yet it was the first time he was credited with a win (Game 2 of the NLDS) and the first time he pitched beyond a Division Series, as the Brewers advanced to the NLCS. His career postseason totals include a 1–0 record in 10 games with a 1.69 ERA, nine strikeouts, no walks, and no home runs allowed.
On December 12, 2011, Saito signed a one-year deal with theArizona Diamondbacks.[13] He struggled in 2012, appearing in just 16 games for the NL club with a 6.75 ERA in just 12 innings. He also spent time at the minor league level. Saito was the second-oldest active player in MLB during the season.
In seven seasons in MLB, Saito finished his career with a 2.34 ERA, 400 strikeouts, and an average of 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings.
Saito returned to Japan after the 2012 season, signing with theTohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.[14] The Eagles are located inSendai,Miyagi Prefecture, Saito's place of birth. (Saito was nicknamed "the Man from Miyagi" by Dodgers broadcasterVin Scully.) The team was founded just one season before Saito left for MLB.
In his first season back in Japan, the Golden Eagles won the2013 Japan Series for the first and only time in team history. Saito pitched a scoreless ninth inning in Game 3 in his only series appearance after earning the series-clinching win in thePacific League championship series.[15] In a relief role at age 43, Saito appeared in 30 total games and recorded a 2.36 ERA, finishing with a 3–0 record.
2014, though less successful for the Golden Eagles, saw another productive season from Saito. He logged a 1–1 record with a 2.59 ERA in 31 games, his last full season in professional baseball.
2015 marked Saito's third year with the Golden Eagles, though he did not appear on the active roster for the majority of the season. On August 17, he announced that he would be retiring at the end of the season.[16] On October 4, with only three games remaining on the schedule, the team added Saito to the active roster. That day against the eventual NPB championFukuoka SoftBank Hawks, Saito took the mound in the ninth inning and faced one batter, striking him out swinging. He was replaced and received a reception with flowers from current teammates (among themKazuo Matsui, another former MLB player). Saito was then thrown in the air by teammates five times, a celebratory custom in Japanese baseball.[17] Saito was removed from the active roster the next day.
Saito ended his career with 739 games played with 112 victories and 1,731 strikeouts in 23 NPB and MLB seasons.
Saito threw afour-seam fastball in the low 90s, atwo-seam fastball, aslider, and acurveball.
In November 2015, Saito agreed to a one-year role as a front office intern in theSan Diego Padres organization.[18] The role has a baseball operations focus. Saito also agreed to serve as a pitching coach for a series of 2016Japan national baseball team games.[19] After three seasons with the Padres, Saito returned to Japan to become a pitching coach for theTokyo Yakult Swallows. In 2022, he was named the chief pitching coach for theYokohama DeNA BayStars.
Saito is married and has three children with his wife.[20]
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