TOKYO – Former New York Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka on Tuesday earned the 200th win of his career spanning Japanese professional baseball and the U.S. big leagues, as he pitched the Yomiuri Giants to a 4-2 victory against the Chunichi Dragons.
He became just the fourth pitcher to reach a total of 200 Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball wins, following Hideo Nomo, Hiroki Kuroda and current San Diego Padres starter Yu Darvish.
The 36-year-old right-hander struck out four while allowing two runs on four hits and two walks to reach the milestone in front of the Giants’ home fans at Tokyo Dome.
Tanaka began his professional career in 2007 with the Rakuten Eagles and joined the Yankees in 2014, becoming a two-time American League All-Star and posting double-digit wins in his first six seasons.
He returned in 2021 to the Sendai-based Eagles, for whom he recorded 119 of his victories, before moving to the Giants this year.
Tanaka delivered his most outstanding season in Japan for Rakuten in 2013, the year before heading to MLB, going 24-0 and spearheading the Eagles to their first Japan Series championship.
The Hyogo Prefecture native had already become a household name by that time, with his performances at the national high school summer tournament at Koshien Stadium drawing attention across Japan.
A young Yomiuri Giants fan (C) holds a cheering towel bearing the name of pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, aiming for his 200th win spanning Japan and the U.S. majors, outside Tokyo Dome on Sept. 30, 2025. (Photo not for sale)(For editorial use only)(Kyodo)
AloJapan.com