If you are a new fan and are not particularly familiar with the team, let this be your introduction! We are going to break down the entire roster for you very briefly so you can get a feel for who is whom, what they have done, and what they might do in 2022 and beyond.
This is Part 5, the final segment, which will look at the relievers. Keep in mind, many pitchers who identify as relievers may end up in the rotation, and vice-versa.
Part 1 (catchers) Part 2 (infielders), Part 3 (outfielders), and Part 4 (rotation) are viewable at their respective links.
The Real Deals
#13 Suguru Iwazaki
Age (as of Opening Day): 30
Experience: 8 seasons / 326 games (45 starts)
Key Numbers/Facts: 5 straight seasons of 40+ mounds since becoming a reliever
Sales Point(s): Deception, balance (31.5 GB%, 36.4 FB%, 31.0 K%)
Trending: Across – career 2.65 ERA as a reliever, last season’s ERA… 2.65!
#17 Yuta Iwasada
Age (as of Opening Day): 30
Experience: 8 seasons / 169 games (93 starts)
Key Numbers/Facts: Had an outstanding 2016 as starter, moved permanently to the bullpen in 2020
Sales Point(s): Velocity, leadership
Trending: Up – Wildly inconsistent but tends to do better in even-numbered years
#66 Ippei Ogawa
Age (as of Opening Day): 24
Experience: 2 seasons / 40 games
Key Numbers/Facts: 11.1 IP 1 ER last season vs. Giants, Baystars, Swallows combined
Sales Point(s): Versatility, fly-ball pitcher (39.3% in 2021)
Trending: Up – Has looked more relaxed this spring; threw 4 shutout innings vs. Giants on 3/13. Could make emergency starts or long bullpen appearances
#37 Masaki Oyokawa
Age (as of Opening Day): 20
Experience: 2 seasons / 39 games
Key Numbers/Facts: Sprained right rib cage muscles 3/13; will not be ready for Opening Day
Sales Point(s): Velocity, strikeout ability (34.5% K rate)
Trending: Up – has expectations to become future ace by teammates, coaches, media, and fans
#42 Kyle Keller
Age (as of Opening Day): 28
Experience: 0 seasons / 0 games
Key Numbers/Facts: Arrived in Japan on March 6, made first preseason appearance 9 days later vs. Hawks (1 IP 1 H 0 R)
Sales Point(s): Velocity, strikeout ability, power curve
Trending: Hard to say – he has no NPB experience yet!
The Back-Ups
#69 Daichi Ishii
Age (as of Opening Day): 24
Experience: 1 season / 18 games
Key Numbers/Facts: vs. Swallows aside, respectable 3.21 ERA in 2021
Sales Point(s): Throws hard (up to 153 km/h) for such a short pitcher (175 cm)
Trending: Up – Despite being an 8th-round pick, could land a set-up role sooner rather than later.
#65 Atsuki Yuasa
Age (as of Opening Day): 22
Experience: 3 seasons / 3 games
Key Numbers/Facts: Allowed runs in all three mounds in 2021, but last 4 spring mounds: 5 IP 0 H 0 BB 7 K
Sales Point(s): Velocity, strikeout ability
Trending: Up – His 2.66 ERA on the farm was respectable, also picked up 4 saves. Could be a set-up man on the top squad this year.
#98 Taiki Ono
Age (as of Opening Day): 27
Experience: 5 seasons / 64 games (38 starts)
Key Numbers/Facts: Required 13 starts to earn his first career W
Sales Point(s): Velocity, strikeout ability
Trending: Up – Seems to have (mostly) gotten over his control issues and could beef up the bullpen in 2022, rotation in 2023?
#18 Kosuke Baba
Age (as of Opening Day): 26
Experience: 4 seasons / 80 games (2 starts)
Key Numbers/Facts: 7.42 K/9, 3.23 BB/9 in 2021, struggling this spring
Sales Point(s): Good breaking pitches (cutter, fork, curve)
Trending: Down – I am bearish on this former first-round draft pick because he fails to attack the zone and seldom records three straight outs.
#56 Keisuke Kobayashi
Age (as of Opening Day): 29
Experience: 5 seasons / 93 games
Key Numbers/Facts: Allowed runs in just 2 of 22 mounds in 2021 (slowed by injury though)
Sales Point(s): Velocity, strikeout ability (career 9.12 K/9)
Trending: Up – Minor control issues aside, he looks to be in the bullpen from the get-go this season
#48 Yukiya Saitoh
Age (as of Opening Day): 27
Experience: 3 seasons / 25 games (1 start)
Key Numbers/Facts: Unlucky .355 BABIP last season in career-high 19 games
Sales Point(s): Velocity, strikeout ability (career 10.86 K/9)
Trending: Up – Confidence and command may keep him from fully blossoming but he has great tools and lots of mileage left on his right arm
The Wild Cards
#64 Hidetaka Okadome
Age (as of Opening Day): 22
Experience: 0 seasons / 0 games
Key Numbers/Facts: Throws sidearm
Sales Point(s): Not sure yet
Trending: Up – Could even be a steady in the bullpen this season as a rookie
#30 Ren Satoh
Age (as of Opening Day): 23
Experience: 1 season / 0 games
Key Numbers/Facts: Throws upward of 155 km/h (97 mph) but lacks command of his secondary stuff
Sales Point(s): Velocity
Trending: Up – Was a late bloomer but has the build and tools to excel in the bullpen down the road
#43 Kouki Moriya
Age (as of Opening Day): 28
Experience: 7 seasons / 71 games (1 start)
Key Numbers/Facts: Played in a career-high 57 games in 2019, averaged 8.83 K/9 in 54 IP
Sales Point(s): Deceptive movement
Trending: Down – Has only pitched 7 top-squad innings (9 ER) in the past two seasons
#54 Ren Kajiya
Age (as of Opening Day): 30
Experience: 8 seasons / 119 games
Key Numbers/Facts: Acquired during the 2020 offseason; won Game 1 of 2021, struggled thereafter
Sales Point(s): Velocity, movement on secondary pitches
Trending: Down – His lone “good” year was 2018 (72 GP) but he sported a “career-best” 1.38 WHIP…
#40 Yuya Onaka
Age (as of Opening Day): 27
Experience: 5 seasons / 32 games
Key Numbers/Facts: Just 21.2 career IP on the top squad in 4 seasons with the Tigers
Sales Point(s): Velocity (151 km/h) and solid arsenal (cutter, slider, changeup, fork)
Trending: Across – His 1.27 ERA on the farm with a 0.84 WHIP in 2021 did not get him called up, so what will?