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 4, which will look at the candidates to be in the starting rotation. Keep in mind, many pitchers who identify as starters may end up in the bullpen, and vice-versa.
Part 1 (catchers) Part 2 (infielders) and Part 3 (outfielders) are viewable at their respective links! In the days to come, we will complete the primers by looking at the relievers. So… here we GO!
The Real Deals
#50 Koyo Aoyagi
Age (as of Opening Day): 28
Experience: 6 seasons / 100 games (99 starts)
Key Numbers/Facts: 50.6 GB%, league-high 13 W, career-best 2.48 ERA in 2021
Sales Point(s): Deception, stamina (remained in rotation throughout 2019-21)
Trending: Across – Would love to see his numbers improve but last year was a dream season.
#21 Takumi Akiyama
Age (as of Opening Day): 30
Experience: 12 seasons / 127 games (119 starts)
Key Numbers/Facts: Only CL pitcher with double-digit wins in last two seasons
Sales Point(s): Control, efficiency, 43.3% FB%
Trending: Across – Has settled in nicely and can expect another strong season in 2022
#27 Masashi Itoh
Age (as of Opening Day): 25
Experience: 1 season / 23 games (22 starts)
Key Numbers/Facts: First Tigers rookie lefty to hit double-digits in wins since 1967
Sales Point(s): Control, deception, stamina
Trending: Up – Has a great head for the game and should evolve into a cornerstone of the rotation for years to come
#16 Yuki Nishi
Age (as of Opening Day): 31
Experience: 13 seasons / 280 games (253 starts)
Key Numbers/Facts: Has logged 1650 innings, never fewer than 117 in a year, since 2011
Sales Point(s): Control, deception, stamina
Trending: Up from last year – spent injury-riddled and his ERA ballooned by 1.50 from 2020-21.
#49 Joe Gunkel
Age (as of Opening Day): 30
Experience: 2 seasons / 48 games (26 starts)
Key Numbers/Facts: Less than 2 BB/9, 42.8% GB% in 2021
Sales Point(s): Control
Trending: Up – Last year was his first in the rotation; lower back injury this spring is a concern…
#29 Haruto Takahashi
Age (as of Opening Day): 26
Experience: 4 seasons / 44 games (43 starts)
Key Numbers/Facts: Just 7 starts last season but BAA of .172 with a 10.1 K/9 rate
Sales Point(s): Deception, strikeouts
Trending: Up – Though health will continue to be a concern (never 110 IP in a single season)
The Reserves
#19 Shintaro Fujinami
Age (as of Opening Day): 27
Experience: 9 seasons / 173 games (144 starts)
Key Numbers/Facts: Won 10+ games in each of his first three seasons, had CL-best 221 K in 2015
Sales Point(s): Velocity, strikeouts, good offspeed pitches
Trending: NO IDEA – He has all-world tools but struggles with control and confidence have been his downfall for 6 seasons now…
#47 Takuma Kirishiki
Age (as of Opening Day): 22
Experience: 0 seasons / 0 games
Key Numbers/Facts: Threw a perfect game in his last season of college baseball
Sales Point(s): Velocity, control, stability
Trending: Up – Has had a great spring so far (other than 3/13 on the farm), hopes to make the back end of the rotation
#14 Wei-Yin Chen
Age (as of Opening Day): 36
Experience: 9 seasons / 133 games (95 starts)
Key Numbers/Facts: Eight years in MLB (Orioles, Marlins); just 2 starts with Hanshin last season (shoulder)
Sales Point(s): Control, 50.0 GB% in 2020 (with Chiba Lotte Marines)
Trending: Up from last year; Down from his prime? First things first though – needs a healthy left shoulder!
#52 Aaron WIlkerson
Age (as of Opening Day): 32
Experience: 0 seasons / 0 games
Key Numbers/Facts: Averaged over 1 K per inning in 7 minor-league seasons
Sales Point(s): Control, good arsenal (curve, slider, changeup)
Trending: Hard to say – his first mound in Japan has not happened!
#44 Raul Alcantara
Age (as of Opening Day): 29
Experience: 1 season / 24 games (7 starts)
Key Numbers/Facts: Arrived in April 2021 due to Covid border issues; went from starter to reliever
Sales Point(s): Velocity (150+ km/h fastball), good arsenal (slider, splitter, sinker, curve, changeup)
Trending: Up – Settled in as 7th inning man after Olympic break; hoping to break into the rotation (but currently rehabbing ankle injury)
The Future
#41 Shoki Murakami
Age (as of Opening Day): 23
Experience: 1 season / 2 games (2 starts)
Key Numbers/Facts: Helped his high school team to Spring Koshien Tournament victory in 2016
Sales Point(s): Control, deception
Trending: Up – Led Western League (farm) in 2021 with 10-1 record, 2.23 ERA
#20 Daichi Moriki
Age (as of Opening Day): 18
Experience: 0 seasons / 0 games
Key Numbers/Facts: Threw 153 km/h (95 mph) as a junior high student
Sales Point(s): Velocity, strikeout ability
Trending: Up – Already touted as having all-Japan level tools
#28 Yuto Suzuki
Age (as of Opening Day): 22
Experience: 0 seasons / 0 games
Key Numbers/Facts: Has been dubbed “Japan’s Clayton Kershaw” for his form & curveball
Sales Point(s): Velocity, strikeouts, stamina
Trending: Up – Looks to find his way into the pitching rotation as a rookie in 2022
#15 Junya Nishi
Age (as of Opening Day): 20
Experience: 2 seasons / 2 games (2 starts)
Key Numbers/Facts: Threw five no-hit innings in his first career start in 2021
Sales Point(s): Velocity
Trending: Up – The team’s 2019 first-round pick has the tools to be an ace on the staff for years to come… but maybe not just yet.
The Wild Cards
#36 Masumi Hamachi
Age (as of Opening Day): 23
Experience: 5 seasons / 26 games (1 start)
Key Numbers/Facts: Has been a “top prospect” since 2016 draft but .306 BAA so far
Sales Point(s): Not sure, to be honest
Trending: Across – The team has expected him to develop faster than this. He has made his way into spring action this year, so maybe this is the year he finally stays up top (in the bullpen?).
#34 Akira Niho
Age (as of Opening Day): 31
Experience: 13 seasons / 113 games (26 starts)
Key Numbers/Facts: Acquired in a trade with the SoftBank Hawks in 2021 (for slugger Masahiro Nakatani)
Sales Point(s): Deception
Trending: Down – Did not wow in 4 games after trade; showing poor control in farm action so far this spring.