Kentaro Nishimura

Kentaro Nishimura (西村 健太朗) (Franken)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 194 lb.
• High School Koryo High School

• Born May 10, 1985 in Aki, Hiroshima Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Kentaro Nishimura pitched for the Yomiuri Giants for 15 years. He threw a slider and a fastball (peak time 95.1 mph).

Nishimura represented Japan in the 2003 Asia Junior Championship. He was drafted in the second round of the 2003 NPB draft and debuted in bad form in 2004 (5 BB, 13 H, 9 R in 3 2/3 IP). In 2005, he went 2-4 with a 5.72 ERA. He improved to 5-7, 3.50 in 2006. Nishimura moved full-time to the bullpen in 2007 and was 1-0 with 10 holds a 4.36 ERA in 57 contests. He tied Masaki Hayashi for 10th in appearances in the Central League. Nishimura was 6-2 and a 3.00 ERA in 2008, and he notched 13 holds in 43 appearances. He completed a shutout inning in the 2008 Nippon Series Game 1, and he added 1 2/3 shutout innings in Game 2. He surrendered a 3-run homer to Takeya Nakamura in Game 3, and he still notched a hold. Nishimura then pitched 1 1/3 shutout innings to get the win over Hideaki Wakui in Game 5, and he added 1 1/3 innings with a solo shot allowed to Hiroshi Hirao in Game 6. In the win or go home Game 7, Nishimura relieved Tetsuya Utsumi in the 6th inning and completed 2/3 of a shutout inning, but the Giants lost to the Seibu Lions.

The Hiroshima native suffered from right elbow injury in 2009, so he only pitched 11 games with a 4.97 ERA. He joined the rotation in 2010, and he went 4-5 with a 4.52 ERA. He improved to 7-5 with a 1.82 ERA in 2011, and the Giants named him their new closer in 2012. Nishimura notched 32 saves and 12 holds with a solid 1.12 ERA in 69 relief outings that season, and he was 3rd in saves (1 behind Tony Barnette and Hitoki Iwase) and 2nd in games (3 behind Tetsuya Yamaguchi). He relieved Kyosuke Takagi in the 12th inning of 2012 Nippon Series Game 4, but he gave up a single to Eiichi Koyano and committed an error while dealing with Shota Ono's bunt. Yuji Iiyama then hit a walk-off double, and he got the loss. Nishimura then succeeded Utsumi in the 9th inning of Game 5, and he pitched a shutout inning; the Giants beat the Nippon Ham Fighters in 6 games.

Nishimura extended his dominance in 2013, and he notched 42 saves with 10 holds and a 1.13 ERA in 71 appearances. He led the league in saves and games, and he set the Yomiuri team record for most saves in a season. He was also selected into the 2013 NPB All-Star Game, and he pitched a shutout inning in Game 1 and 1/3 of a shutout inning in Game 3. In the 2013 Nippon Series, Nishimura notched a save with a shutout inning in Game 1, and he replaced Yamaguchi in the 9th inning in Game 5. He completed that inning, but he had some trouble in the 10th inning. Nishimura walked pitcher Takahiro Norimoto, then he plunked Kazuya Fujita and Ginji Akaminai drove in the game-winning run. He pitched a shutout inning in Game 7, but the Giants lost to the Rakuten Golden Eagles.

After his gorgeous 2013 season, Nishimura's closer spot was taken by Scott Mathieson and he still collected 16 holds with a 2.98 ERA in 49 relief outings. He was 8th in holds, tied with Ryuji Ichioka and Shuichiro Osada). He suffered from several injuries in 2015, and he was hit by a comebacker by Naomichi Nishiura on his face on May 1. Thus, Nishimura only pitched one game for the big club. He had a 3.21 ERA in 27 games in 2016, and he collected 10 holds with a 3.56 ERA in 45 relief outings in 2017. However, he missed the entire 2018 season due to right shoulder injury, and he announced his retirement. Nishimura was a minor league pitching coach for the Giants in 2026.

Overall, Nishimura was 38-34 with a 3.12 ERA, collected 81 saves and 77 holds in 470 appearances, struck out 529 and pitched 752 1/3 innings in 14 seasons in NPB.

Sources

• Wiki Japan