Atsushi Yoshida

Atsushi Yoshida (吉田 篤史‎)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 170 lb.

• High School Nihon Bunri High School

• Born September 29, 1970 in Toshima, Tokyo Japan

BR Register page

Biographical Information

Atsushi Yoshida pitched in Nippon Pro Baseball and for the Japanese national team.

Yoshida represented Japan in the 1991 Intercontinental Cup, going 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA and 15 K in 13 IP. He The Yakult Swallows drafted him in the first round of the 1991 NPB draft. Yoshida joined the rotation as a rookie, and recorded a 4.07 ERA in 19 starts with 7 wins. He suffered a right shoulder injury, so he only had 9 appearances in the next two seasons. Yoshida came back and had an elite 1.00 ERA in 25 relief outings in 1995. He also was 5-7 with a 3.60 ERA that year for the Visalia Oaks, walking only 12 in 75 innings. He slumped to a 5.52 ERA in 27 games in 1996, but he bounced back soon and had a career year in 1997. His ERA was 1.56 in 41 appearances, and he collected 5 wins and 3 saves. His performance declined as his ERA rose to 7.64 in 1998. The Tojyo native had a 2.36 ERA in 29 starts in 1999.

The Swallows moved him back to their rotation in 2000, and he started 12 games with a 7-8 record and a 4.05 ERA in that season. He came back to the bullpen in 2001, and had a 3.09 ERA in 44 appearances. He still pitched 40 games with a 3.40 ERA in 2002. The Swallows traded him to the Hanshin Tigers for Takehiro Hashimoto after the 2002 season. He suffered a right foot injury, and didn't play any games for the Tigers' big club in the next two seasons. Yoshida announced his retirement after the 2004 season. After retiring, he coached the Swallows from 2005 to 2011.

Overall, Yoshida was 26-37 and a 3.69 ERA and pitched 531 2/3 innings in 11 seasons in NPB.

Sources

• NPB site
• Wiki Japan