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Chicago Cubs: Kyuji Fujikawa announces his retirement

By David Hill

CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 21: Kyuji Fujikawa #11 of the Chicago Cubs pitches in the 7th inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Wrigley Field on September 21, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 21: Kyuji Fujikawa #11 of the Chicago Cubs pitches in the 7th inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Wrigley Field on September 21, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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Nippon Professional Baseball star and former Chicago Cubs pitcher Kyuji Fujikawa has announced his retirement after 20 professional seasons.

Back in the 2012-13 offseason, the Chicago Cubs had hoped they had signed a pitcher who would be a key part of their bullpen. Kyuji Fujikawa had been a dominant reliever with the Hanshin Tigers, one of the best closers in Nippon Professional Baseball. He was expected to be a key setup man for the Cubs as they looked to rebuild their roster.

Instead, Fujikawa battled injuries and required Tommy John surgery. He only made 27 appearances for the Cubs before signing in Texas. After two more appearances for the Rangers, his major league career was over, as he headed back to Japan and the Tigers.

Now, after 20 years in professional baseball, Fujikawa has called it a career. He ended his playing days with a perfect inning on Tuesday, a fitting capstone to what was a solid NPB career.

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Due to injuries, Fujikawa was never able to truly test himself at the major league level. He made a total of 29 appearances spanning 26.2 innings, posting a 5.74 ERA and a 1.463 WHiP. Fujikawa did strike out 32 batters with just eight walks, giving a hint as to the pitcher he was, but the opposition also hit him at a .287/.361/.435 clip.

However, he had far more success with the Tigers. Although he was primarily a setup man in that second NPB stint, Fujikawa did return to the closer role in 2019. Overall, he had an impressive 2.08 ERA and a 1.039 WHiP in his 935.1 innings, striking out 1220 batters with 339 walks. He notched 243 saves over his 17 seasons, making him one of the greatest closers in NPB history.

While he had a great career in Japan, it is unfortunate that MLB fans did not get to see what Fujikawa could do on the mound. His greatness never came through due to his injury issues, robbing the Cubs of a solid reliever.

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Former Chicago Cubs reliever and NPB star Kyuji Fujikawa is calling it a career. His next stop may be the NPB Hall of Fame.

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