Takayuki Kishi Explained

Takayuki Kishi
Team:Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
Number:11
Position:Pitcher
Birth Date:4 December 1984
Birth Place:Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
Bats:Right
Throws:Right
Debutleague:NPB
Debutdate:March 30
Debutyear:2007
Debutteam:Seibu Lions
Statyear:2023
Statleague:NPB
Stat1label:Win–loss record
Stat1value:158-109
Stat2label:Earned run average
Stat2value:3.07
Stat3label:Strikeouts
Stat3value:2,072
Teams:
Highlights:

Takayuki Kishi (Japanese: 岸 孝之, born December 4, 1984, in Taihaku-ku, Sendai) is a Japanese professional baseball player for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He previously played for the Saitama Seibu Lions.

He was the 2008 Japan Series MVP.

Career

Saitama Seibu Lions

In his first three seasons as a professional, Kishi has recorded at least 10 wins every season, thrown at least 2 complete games every season, and has multiple shutouts in two of his first three seasons. With an overhand delivery Kishi throws a four-seam fastball in high 80s (tops out at 93 mph), changeup, slider and a solid-average curveball around 70 mph.

2008 Japan Series

Kishi showed that even though he was young, he could handle the atmosphere of the Japan Series, and also demonstrated his rubber arm. His first appearance in the Series was when he started Game 4 at the Seibu Dome. The second-year pro dominated the heavily favored Yomiuri Giants for a complete-game shutout, striking out at least one batter every inning and throwing a whopping 147 pitches in the process. Kishi also became the second pitcher ever to have at least one strikeout every inning in a complete game effort. In an ironic twist, the first was former Giants pitcher Takashi Nishimoto in the 1981 Japan Series against the Nippon-Ham Fighters. Kishi also became the 12th pitcher to throw a complete-game shutout in his first career Japan Series start, with the last one before him being Shunsuke Watanabe in the 2005 Japan Series against the Hanshin Tigers.

In Game 6 two days later, Kishi was called upon again, this time to save the Lions' season. He replaced Lions starter Kazuyuki Hoashi and, on just two days' rest, threw 91 pitches in scoreless innings as Seibu rallied to force Game 7. Kishi got the win in relief and also set a new Series record for consecutive scoreless innings at .

Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles

He was selected .[1]

International career

Kishi represented the Japan national baseball team in the 2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series and 2019 WBSC Premier12.

On October 10, 2018, he was selected at the 2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series.[2]

On October 1, 2019, he was selected at the 2019 WBSC Premier12.[3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: マイナビオールスターゲーム2018 選手間投票結果 . NPB.jp 日本野球機構 . ja . June 28, 2018 . July 3, 2018 .
  2. Web site: 「2018日米野球」に出場する侍ジャパントップチーム選手全28名が決定 . 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト . ja . October 10, 2018 . October 14, 2018 .
  3. Web site: 「ENEOS 侍ジャパンシリーズ2019」出場選手決定について . 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト . ja . October 1, 2019 . October 12, 2019 .