Tomoki Hoshino

From BR Bullpen

Tomoki Hoshino (星野 智樹)

  • Bats Left, Throws Left
  • Height 5' 10", Weight 163 lb.

BR register page

Biographical Information[edit]

Junkballer Tomoki Hoshino pitched in Nippon Pro Baseball for 15 years.

Hoshino pitched for the Prince Hotels in the industrial leagues after high school. The Seibu Lions chose him in the 3rd round of the 1998 NPB draft. He debuted in 1999, going 1-3 with a 3.47 ERA in 16 games. He walked 9 and allowed 5 runs in 5 2/3 IP in 2000 and gave up 9 hits and 6 runs in 1 1/3 in 2001. In 2002, Hoshino was 2-0 and allowed one run in 8 1/3 IP. A year later, Tomoki gave up 26 baserunners and 10 runs in 13 innings. He became a regular in 2004, going 4-3 in 56 games; a LOOGY, he pitched 46 innings. He only gave up 26 hits (a .164 opponent average) and struck out 59 while walking 31. Hoshino also tied Toyohiko Yoshida for 5th in appearances in the Pacific League. His ERA was 2.15. In the 2004 Japan Series, he faced four batters, allowing a hit and a walk.

The Mie native only pitched 37 2/3 innings in 56 games in 2005, going 1-2 with a 3.11 ERA and 40 strikeouts. He was 4th in appearances, between Daisuke Kato and Koji Mise. In 2006, the southpaw tossed 36 2/3 innings and allowed only 21 hits (a .163 average against) while striking out 39. He had a 3.93 ERA and was 1-3 with a save in 58 games. He averaged just 2.57 batters faced per appearance, and he tied Hisashi Ogura for 7th in appearances. Hoshino had 28 1/3 innings in 37 games in 2007 and posted a 3.49 ERA with no decisions. He bounced back in 2008, and he pitched 63 games with 25 holds and only worked 34 innings. He went 4-1 and allowed 22 hits for a .193 average. Hoshino tied Kato for third in the Pacific League in appearances, and he was 2nd in holds (4 behind Yusuke Kawasaki). Hoshino completed 2/3 of a shutout innings to get a hold in the 2008 Nippon Series Game 2, and he added a shutout inning in Game 3. He then pitched a shutout inning in Game 7, and he got the win over Daisuke Ochi thanks to Hiroshi Hirao's timely RBI single.

Hoshino notched 22 holds with a 4.08 ERA in 62 appearances in 2009, but he only pitched 35 1/3 innings. He was 3rd in appearances (behind Tadashi Settsu andRyota Katsuki) and 3rd in holds (between Brian Falkenborg and Kazumasa Kikuchi). He struggled in 2010 as his ERA was 8.10 in 27 games, and he pitched 37 games with a 2.66 ERA in 2011. However, Hoshino allowed 4 runs in 3 1/3 innings in 2012, and he was released. The Rakuten Golden Eagles signed him, and he surrendered 10 runs in 5 2/3 innings in 2013 then he announced his retirement.

Overall, Hoshino was 14-15 with a 3.91 ERA, notched 105 holds and 3 saves in 456 appearances, struck out 307 and pitched 335 2/3 innings in 15 seasons in NPB. As of 2024, he was 44th in holds in NPB history (between Yuito Mori and Katsunori Hirai).

Sources[edit]

Retrieved from "https://www.baseball-reference.com/bpv/index.php?title=Tomoki_Hoshino&oldid=1456139"