Remembering Hisashi Iwakuma

Hisashi Iwakuma was quietly one of the better starting pitchers to ever suit up for the Seattle Mariners. The five-year stretch that he had shouldn’t go down in history. It was still good enough that it should be recognized, and help us in remembering Hisashi Iwakuma.

Hisashi Iwakuma recently announced that he would be heading to Japan to try and continue pitching. The 37-year-old has been oft-injured since the start of 2017. He made six starts, and that sixth start would be the last time he took the mound for the Mariners. Shoulder injuries derailed him from there.

Up until the shoulder injuries, Iwakuma was a highly underrated pitcher for the Mariners. From 2012-2017, he went 63-39 over 136 starts and 150 total appearances. The ERA was great as well, coming in at 3.42. The first four years were even better, coming in at 3.17 ERA while throwing 653.2 innings.

Iwakuma brought hope to Seattle Mariners fans. All of a sudden the team had a solid one-two punch. Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma. He didn’t just bring hope to the fans, but he brought them into the stadium as well. Attendance rose every year from 2012 to 2016, and then dropped in 2017 when he was out.

His best year was in 2013, his second year on the team. Questions had surrounded Hisashi Iwakuma regarding his durability. He answered the innings question admirably that season, throwing a career-high 219.2 innings.

This wasn’t even the highlight of his season. He made the all-star game, finished 3rd in Cy Young voting, and 19th in MVP voting. He also had the highest WAR of any American League Pitcher that year, at 7.2.

In 2014, Hisashi Iwakuma was a large part of the Mariners attempt at making the playoffs. He helped get them within one game, as the team finished at 87-75. It was the closest the Mariners had been to the playoffs in a decade and helped bring a spark to the team and fans alike.

The biggest accomplishment Iwakuma had come in 2015. On August 12th, Iwakuma toed the rubber against the Baltimore Orioles. Manny Machado, Chris Davis, and Jonathan Schoop would all draw one walk apiece that game. Those were the only runners to reach base, as Iwakuma recorded the 5th no-hitter in Mariners history.

Hisashi Iwakuma should be remembered for bringing life back to the franchise. 2004-2011 was a rough time for the team and its fans. It has still been rough since 2012, but Hisashi Iwakuma sure made it a lot better, and more exciting to watch.