Hideki Okajima — 37 | RP
Fast Facts about Hideki Okajima
Date of Birth: 25 December 1975
Place of Birth: Kyoto, Japan
Height: 6-1 Weight: 194
College: Koshien
Signed: 2006 (Boston Red Sox)
Years Pro: 14
Years with Red Sox: 2
Bats: L
Throws: L
Career Pitching Statistics for Hideki Okajima through 2008 Season
SEASON
W
L
SV
IP
H
ER
SO
ERA
1995 — YG
0
0
0
5.0
5
1
9
1.80
1996 — YG
1
0
0
12.7
13
1
8
0.71
1997 — YG
4
9
0
109.3
92
42
102
3.46
1998 — YG
3
6
0
62.3
61
30
54
4.33
1999 — YG
4
1
0
69.7
42
23
77
2.97
2000 — YG
5
4
7
72.3
53
25
102
3.11
2001 — YG
2
1
25
62.0
62
19
70
2.76
2002 — YG
6
3
0
55.7
42
21
58
3.39
2003 — YG
2
3
0
38.7
45
21
29
4.88
2004 — YG
4
3
5
46.7
33
16
53
3.08
2005 — YG
1
0
0
53.0
55
28
56
4.75
2006 — HNHF
2
2
4
54.7
46
13
63
2.14
2007 — BOS
3
2
5
69.0
50
17
63
2.22
2008 — BOS
3
2
1
62.0
49
18
60
2.61
TOTAL
40
36
47
773.0
648
275
804
3.20
More about Hideki Okajima
- Okajima was merely suppose to provide Red Sox teammate Daisuke Matsuzaka with the comfort of knowing another Japanese player on the Red Sox roster; instead, he led the Boston staff and all American League rookies with 66 appearances, the most in his 13-year professional career. He also saved five games and was voted by the fans to the American League All-Star Game.
- After giving up a first-pitch home run on Opening Day in Kansas City, Okajima went 19 straight appearances without yielding a run until giving up a run to the Yankees in New York on 22 May.
- The southpaw owns the distinction of being the first Japanese-born pitcher to play in the World Series when he entered Game Two against the Rockies at Fenway Park, going 2-1/3 innings of scoreless relief while striking out four. His teammate, Daisuke Matsuzaka, then became the first Japanese pitcher to start and win a World Series game when he started Game Three in Colorado.
- Okajima was the winning pitcher in Boston's opener over the Oakland Athletics at the Tokyo Dome in March 2008, the first Japanese-born pitcher to win a game for an MLB club playing in Japan. He won the game in relief of fellow countryman Daisuke Matsuzaka.
Memorable Moments for Hideki Okajima
- 26 March 2008 - Boston opens the regular season at the Tokyo Dome in Japan with a 6-5 win over Oakland. Hideki Okajima earns the win in relief while rookie Brandon Moss sends the game to extra frames with a two-out, ninth-inning home run.
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