Wataru Matsumoto

Wataru Matsumoto (松本 航)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 9", Weight 185 lbs.

• School Nippon Sport Science University
• High School Akashi Commercial High School

• Born November 28, 1996 in Asago, Hyogo, Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Wataru Matsumoto has pitched in Nippon Pro Baseball.

Matsumoto represented Japan in the 2018 Haarlemse Honkbalweek and won the Best Pitcher award. He was 3-0 with a 0.64 ERA, beating Taiwan three games in a row, including in the finale. He was second to Masato Morishita in IP (14, 2 shy), tied Hiromi Itoh for 3rd in K (17) and was the only hurler with multiple wins. He also won a MVP in college and played in the Universiade.

The Seibu Lions drafted him in the first round of the 2018 NPB draft, and he soon joined the rotation as a rookie. He was 7-4 with a 4.54 ERA, and struck out 65 in 2019. Matsumoto also got 4 votes for the 2019 Pacific League Rookie of the Year Award, finishing third behind Rei Takahashi's 206 votes and Hiroshi Kaino's 39. In the 2019 CLCS, he relieved Ken Togame in the 5th inning in Game 3 and pitched 3 shutout innings, then replaced Kaima Taira in the 5th inning in Game 4. Taisei Makihara hit a double against him and Kenta Imamiya blasted a two-run homer. Matsumoto was relieved by Ryuya Ogawa after giving up a single to Alfredo Despaigne, and the Lions were beaten by the Softbank Hawks.

The Asago native extended his solid performance in 2020 as he went 6-7 with a 4.37 ERA, but also led the PL in homers allowed with 19. He improved in 2021, having a 10-8 record with a 3.79 ERA, and ranked 6th in wins (8 behind Yoshinobu Yamamoto). He replaced Hiroya Miyagi in the 3rd inning of 2021 NPB All-Star Game 2, and threw three straight strikeouts in the 4th inning, against Munetaka Murakami, Kazuma Okamoto and Teruaki Sato. Yuki Tsumori took over and the PL won, 4-3. He was still a reliable starter in the next two seasons, having a 7-6 record with a 3.19 ERA in 2022, then went 6-8 with a 3.47 ERA in 2023.

Matsumoto's repertoire features a fastball that peaks at 96.3 mph, a forkball, curveball and a slider.