There have been many MLB players from Japan, and with the Tokyo Series taking place between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs, a few of those Japanese stars are on display.
One of the biggest names in baseball today is Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani. Some believe Ohtani is the best player in MLB right now, but is he also the greatest Japanese baseball player of all time? That debate could go on for years in the baseball world.
Former MLB Japanese Player Does Not Rank Shohei Ohtani as No. 1
Former MLB player Masanori Murakami was the first Japanese-born player in MLB history, pitching for the San Francisco Giants in 1964 and 1965. In a recent interview, he was asked to rank his top five Japanese players of all time, whether they played in Major League Baseball or Japan.
Murakami ranked former Dodgers pitcher Hiroki Kuroda at No. 5. Kuroda played in MLB from 2008 to 2014, spending time with the Dodgers (2008-2011) and the New York Yankees (2012-2014). He finished his career with a 79-79 record, a 3.45 ERA, 986 strikeouts, and a 1.17 WHIP.
At No. 4, Murakami listed Hideo Nomo. Nomo pitched in MLB from 1995 to 2008, playing for multiple teams. His first stop was with the Dodgers, and his last was the Kansas City Royals. Over 323 career games, Nomo had a 123-109 record, a 4.24 ERA, 1,918 strikeouts, and a 1.35 WHIP.
At No. 3, Murakami ranked Hideki Matsui, who was named 2009 World Series MVP with the Yankees. Matsui played in MLB from 2003 to 2012, spending most of his career with New York (2003-2009) before short stints with the Los Angeles Angels, Oakland Athletics, and Tampa Bay Rays.
He finished his MLB career with a .282 batting average, 175 home runs, and 760 runs batted in. Matsui also had 13 stolen bases and had an on-base percentage of .360.
Murakami then ranked Ohtani at No. 2, with Ichiro Suzuki landing in at No. 1.
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It comes at no surprise that Suzuki tops the list over Ohtani. Suzuki played in MLB from 2001 to 2019 and recorded 3,089 career hits, finishing with a .311 batting average. He’s considered one of the best contact hitters in baseball history.
Suzuki was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame due to his elite hitting ability and longevity. While he only hit 117 home runs and drove in 780 RBIs, he was always on base. Suzuki also stole 509 bases in his career, finishing with a .355 on-base percentage. He spent the majority of his MLB career with the Seattle Mariners.
Even if Ohtani remains the face of baseball for the next decade, he has a long way to go to reach 3,000 career hits like Suzuki. Murakami makes a strong case for ranking Suzuki over Ohtani as the greatest Japanese player of all time.