NPB announced on Friday that the Hanshin Tigers reached an agreement to send outfielder Masahiro Nakatani to the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in exchange for right-handed pitcher Akira Niho. This trade makes sense to both teams, with Hanshin feeling a lack of depth in the bullpen, and the Hawks needing bats to fill the void caused by injuries to multiple position players.
Robert Suarez collected his first loss of the season, and the Tigers, who are aiming for their first pennant in 16 years, feel a need to reconfigure the bullpen. Yuta Iwasada is not his usual self, and seventh-inning man Keisuke Kobayashi has been out since early June. Guys like Shintaro Fujinami, Yukiya Saitoh and second-year lefty Masaki Oyokawa, all viewed as potential starters, have been taking the mound in relief.
Niho can be a starter or reliever, with experience in both roles. He threw in a career-high 44 games in 2015, then 35 out of the bullpen in 2018. He was converted to being a starter in 2019, earning a spot in the Opening Day rotation. This season he has only had two starts on the Hawks’ top squad, going 0-1 with a 4.76 ERA. On the farm, however, he has had 10 starts and impressed with a 4-1 record and a 2.57 ERA. He has good movement on his pitches and aggressively attacks the strike zone. His experience is expected to make him effective immediately with the Tigers.
Says Niho, “I’m taking this as a positive move, a chance to start all over again. I began as a developmental player, and never imagined that I would be able to play for 13 years already. But I am thankful for the scouts, managers, coaches, my teammates, the supporting staff and the fans, who have made it all possible. I hope to give something back to them by showing that I am still able to play well. The Hawks now become a rival club for me, but I look forward to being able to face them in interleague play as well as the Japan Series.”
Nakatani has yet to make a top squad appearance in 2021, due in part to 2020 first-round pick Teruaki Sato. In 59 farm games, he is hitting .266 with 5 home runs and 26 RBIs. He achieved career highs with the Tigers in 2017, appearing in 133 games and hitting 20 home runs. The Hawks have felt a shortage of power with Despaigne, Gracial and Balentien all injured or slumping, so the 28-year old Fukuoka native could get a lot of opportunities to shine immediately in his hometown.
Nakatani commented, “I am so thankful to the Hanshin Tigers fans all across the country, plus all the staff and personnel connected with the Tigers organization. The team took great care of me in the 11 years I spent with them, and I have nothing but appreciation for them. I hope that my move to the Hawks contributes to my growth as a player, and that I can show the fans the energy I can bring to the game. Thank you so much for these past 11 seasons.”
Tigers chairman Shimamura had this to say about the trade: “Niho is an extremely versatile pitcher who can start and come out of the bullpen. This gives the manager a lot of options moving forward. He is still just 30 years old (31, actually), and still has good power and the ability to expand the strike zone. Obviously, we are leaving decisions about how he gets used completely up to Akihiro Yano. We definitely believe he will be able to crack the roster immediately and play an important role moving forward.”
About the departing Nakatani, Shimamura said, “He’s brought his average up recently and is still just 28, so he is in his prime. This trade is a chance for him to get more playing time. The Hawks wanted him, which means they probably intend to give him a chance. We hope this trade benefits both teams and both players as well.”