Shota Takekuma

Shota Takekuma (武隈 祥太)

• Bats Left Throws Left
• Height 5' 10", Weight 170 lb.

• High School Asahikawa Technical High School

• Born November 24, 1989 in Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Shota Takekuma pitched in Nippon Pro Baseball for 13 years.

Takekuma was drafted by the Seibu Lions in the 4th round of the high school phase in the 2007 NPB draft, and he spent his first four seasons primarily in the NPB Farm Leagues; he only pitched 12 games combined with the big club. He went 1-2 with a 4.83 ERA in 2012, but he was placed in the minors again in the next season. Takekuma got 8 holds with a 3.40 ERA in 47 appearances in 2014, and he collected 11 holds with a 2.83 ERA in 67 games in 2015. He ranked 2nd in appearances in the Pacific League, 5 behind Tatsushi Masuda.

The Hokkaido native extended his solid performance in 2016, and he collected a career-high 14 holds with a 3.54 ERA in 64 relief outings. He was 2nd in appearances again, this time 5 behind Hiroyuki Fukuyama. He had a 3.14 ERA in 58 games with 13 holds in 2017, but he slumped to a 6.37 ERA in 35 games in 2018. Takekuma's ERA was 6.14 in 10 games in 2019, and he missed nearly the entire 2020 season due to hip injury. He came back in 2021, and he recorded an elite 1.76 ERA in 46 games. However, Takekuma missed the entire 2022 season due to left shoulder injury, and he announced his retirement.

Takekuma's repertoire featured a fastball, a slider, curveball and a changeup. Overall, he was 21-15 with a 3.71 ERA, collected 68 holds in 365 appearances, struck out 254 and pitched 370 1/3 innings in 13 seasons in NPB. As of 2024, he is 98th in holds in NPB history.

Sources

• Wiki Japan