Hideki Okajima — RP

Date of Birth: 25 December 1975
Place of Birth: Kyoto, Japan
Height: 6-1  Weight: 194
Bats: Left  Throws: Left
College: Koshien
Signed: 2006 (Boston Red Sox)

Years with Red Sox: 4
No longer part of the Red Sox 40-man roster

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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