Masato Yoshii: 1999 Mets NL Wild Card Pitcher (1998 - 1999)
Japan-Nippon Pro Baseball: Yoshii struggled with high ERAs in his first two seasons pitching for the Kintetsu Buffaloes and earned his first career win in 1987. In 1988 he was the Pacific Leagues Relief pitcher of the Year, winning 19 games while posting 24 saves. He saved twenty more games the next year and eventually converted over to being a starter with the Yakult Swallows in 1993.
He won ten or more games the next three years, having a career year in the final year of his contract. He wanted to remain loyal to his team but his agent convinced to shoot for higher salaries with other teams Some in Japan felt he was asking more than he was worth.
His friend Hideo Nomo convinced him to come over & pitch in America. He refused all offers in Japan to sign on with the New York Mets for $200,000 with incentives that would make him a million in his first year.
In his second start, he pitched six innings of a 2-1 win in Milwaukee but got no decision. Yoshii allowed one run but it was unearned due to catcher Alberto Castillo's throwing error.
1999 Wild Card Season: Yoshii was once again on Bobby Valentines pitching staff starting the season as the teams fifth starter.
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On June 5th he gave up six runs in a subway series match up including a a HR to Tino Martinez, in just four innings of work taking the loss. Yoshii earned another win coming in Cincinnati & at the All Star break he was 7-7 with a 5.06 ERA.
On September 11th Yoshi allowed two runs to the Dodgers in seven innings as he & Pat Mahomes combined for the victory in Los Angeles as he collected his 11th win.
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1999 NLCS: In the NLCS loss to the Braves, he got the call from Bobby Valentine to start Game #1 in Atlanta against Greg Maddox.
Post Mets Career: Yoshii got hit hard in the thin Rocky Mountain air at Colorado, going 6-15 (sixth most losses in the league) as he posted a 5.86 ERA.
Japan-Nippon Pro Baseball: He returned to pitch in Japan for the Orix Buffaloes (2003-2007) where in his final season there he played under manager Terry Collins. Yoshii finished his career with the Chiba Lotte Marines in 2007 at age 42.
From May 7th to May 27th, Yoshi won three straight decisions, allowing six runs in 28 innings.
Complete Game Win: On May 21st, Yoshii pitched a complete game over the Reds at Shea Stadium allowing just one run on nine hits, striking out nine.
Entering June, Masato was 4-1 but from June 7th thru July 20th, he would lose five straight with a 6.20 ERA. He did not earn another victory until August 19th.
Entering June, Masato was 4-1 but from June 7th thru July 20th, he would lose five straight with a 6.20 ERA. He did not earn another victory until August 19th.
On August 19th, he pitched a 2-1 victory over the Rockies at Shea. In 7.2 innings he gave up one run on nine hits striking out six for his fifth win. He would win just one more game the rest of the season, coming in his last outing of the year in a 4-3 win at Shea over the Florida Marlins.
In 29 games Yoshii went 6-8 with a 3.93 ERA striking out 117 batters in 177 innings pitched, giving up 22 HRs while walking only 55 batters
On April 9th he pitched seven innings allowing HRs to the Expos Vlad Guerrero & Michael Barrett but still earned the win as Mike Piazza & Robin Ventura both went deep for the Mets in Montreal.
In his next three starts from April 15th to April 27th, Yoshii gave up four runs or more each time, taking three straight losses falling to 1-3 with a 7.52 ERA.
But in May Yoshii won four straight starts, allowing six runs in 25.2 innings. On May 5th, he pitched six scoreless innings in Arizona, keeping the D-backs down to two hits. After a win at Philadelphia, he held the Brewers to one run thru seven innings at Shea for his third straight win. On May 25th, he beat the Pirates in Pittsburgh allowing two runs in five innings.
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In the second half, after three no decision starts, as well as a relief appearance where he closed out a 10-3 win in Milwaukee, Yoshii suffered a loss to the Giants to fall under .500 at 7-8.
But from August 18th thru the end of the season, he was at his best, with five straight winning decisions posting a 1.61 ERA during the wild card chase. He also was getting better run support than he previously had.
Complete Game Win: On August 18th, Yoshi pitched a complete game, one run, six hitter in San Diego where he struck out five.
On August 24th at Shea, he held the Astros to a single run into the 8th inning, but Mike Hampton & Billy Wagner held down the Mets to a single run as well. Mets reliever Dennis Cook served up a three run HR to Jeff Bagwell in the 10th inning for the Astros win.
In Yoshii's next start, he shut out the Astros for six innings in Houston to earn his ninth win of the year.
Tenth Victory: On September 5th, he reached double figures in wins with a victory over the Rockies, striking out a season high nine batters in the game.
On September 18th Yoshii earned his 12th win of the year holding the Phillies to a run in seven innings of work fanning six.
In his final two starts Yoshii allowed just a single run each time, as he earned no decision but the Mets bullpen blew both games.
On the season, Yoshii pitched into the sixth inning or beyond in all his victories, finishing the year at 12-8 with a 4.40 ERA. In 29 games he struck out 105 batters in 170 innings, helping the Mets catch the Wild Card title & go to their first post season since 1986.
1999 Post Season- NLDS: In the NLDS win over Arizona, Yoshii started Game #2 against Randy Johnson in Arizona, pitching into the 6th inning giving up four runs on six hits while earning no decision. In the bottom of the 4th he served up a HRs to Erubiel Durazo cutting the Mets lead to 4-2. In the 6th inning, he gave up a game tying two run HR to Luis Gonzalez. The Mets did eventually win the game 8-4, led by Edgardo Alfonzo's 8th inning grand slam.
1999 Post Season- NLDS: In the NLDS win over Arizona, Yoshii started Game #2 against Randy Johnson in Arizona, pitching into the 6th inning giving up four runs on six hits while earning no decision. In the bottom of the 4th he served up a HRs to Erubiel Durazo cutting the Mets lead to 4-2. In the 6th inning, he gave up a game tying two run HR to Luis Gonzalez. The Mets did eventually win the game 8-4, led by Edgardo Alfonzo's 8th inning grand slam.
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In the 1st inning Gerald Williams singled stole second & scored on Brett Boone's base hit. He held the Braves down until the 5th inning, when Walt Weiss doubled & Gerald Williams broke the 1-1 tie with a base hit scoring Weiss. Yoshii took the loss giving up two runs on five hits in 4.2 innings pitched. He struck out one & walked two.
Yoshii returned to start the eventual classic Robin Ventura "grand slam single" Game #4 and was one of the nine Mets pitchers used in the extra inning win. In the game Yoshii allowed two runs on four hits in just three innings pitched.
Yoshii returned to start the eventual classic Robin Ventura "grand slam single" Game #4 and was one of the nine Mets pitchers used in the extra inning win. In the game Yoshii allowed two runs on four hits in just three innings pitched.
The Mets fell to the Braves in six games.
In the 1999 off season, he was traded to the Colorado Rockies for the left-handed Bobby Jones & Lariel Gonzales.
Yoshii was released after the season and signed on with the Montreal Expos. Yoshi pitched for the Expos in 2001-2002 going 8-16 over those seasons with a 4.44.
In 2002 he had surgery on his left shoulder & finished his MLB career at age 38.
Career Stats: After pitching five seasons in MLB, he was 32-47 with a 4.62 ERA, 447 strike outs & 222 walks in 162 games pitched.
Pitching Coach & Manager: Yoshi became a pitching coach for the Nippon Ham Fighters (2008-2012). He then coached one year with the Fukuoka Soft Bank Hawks (2015) before returning to the Ham Fighters (2016-2018). In 2019 he moved on to coach the Chiba Lotte Marines (2019-2021). In 2023 he became the Marines manager.