Kenichi Matsuoka

Kenichi Matsuoka (松岡 健一)

• Bats Right Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 176 lb.

• School Kyushu Tokai University
• High School Tokai University Kumamoto Seisho High School

• Born June 7, 1982 in Tamana, Kumamoto Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Kenichi Matsuoka pitched in Nippon Pro Baseball for 14 years.

Matsuoka was drafted by the Yakult Swallows in the free acquiring portion of the 2004 NPB draft, and he only pitched 5 games combined with the big club in his first 2 seasons. He went 4-2 with a 5.69 ERA in 2007, and he also pitched 23 2/3 shutout innings for the Waikiki Beach Boys in the Hawaii Winter League. Matsuoka broke out in 2008, and he notched 29 holds with a solid 1.39 ERA in 65 games. He was 6th in the Central League in appearances (between Ryo Watanabe and Tomohiro Umetsu) and 2nd in holds (2 behind Tomoyuki Kubota). He slumped to a 4.72 ERA with 17 holds in 52 games in 2009, and he was 9th in holds (between Hiroki Sanada and Atsushi Kizuka).

The Kumamoto native bounced back soon in 2010, and he set the team record with 73 appearances in a season. He notched 34 holds with a 2.64 ERA, and he was 2nd in games (tied with Tetsuya Yamaguchi) and 2nd in holds (13 behind Takuya Asao). Matsuoka extended his solid performance in 2011, and he notched 23 holds with a 2.86 ERA in 63 games. He was 8th in appearances (16 behind Asao) and 4th in holds (tied with Takehiko Oshimoto). Matsuoka only pitched 7 games in 2012 due to a right foot injury, and he went 3-3 with a 5.73 ERA in 2013. He was 3-3 with a 5.12 ERA in 39 games in 2014.

Matsuoka came back in 2015, and he notched 4 holds with a 3.44 ERA in 38 games that season. He pitched a shutout inning in 2015 Nippon Series Game 1, but he allowed a solo shot to Toru Hosokawa in Game 4. The Softbank Hawks beat the Swallows in 5 games. Matsuoka pitched 53 games with a 3.74 ERA in 2016, then he got 8 holds with a 3.51 ERA in 37 games in 2017. He had a 4.91 ERA in 14 games in 2018, then he announced his retirement. He was the minor league pitching coach for the Swallows from 2019 to 2024.

Overall, Matsuoka was 35-25 with a 3.78 ERA, collected 127 holds and 4 saves in 491 appearances, struck out 482 and pitched 598 1/3 innings in 14 seasons in NPB. As of 2024, he was 24th in holds, between Masahiko Morifuku and Tomoya Mikami.

Sources

• Wiki Japan