Nationals Recall Shinnosuke Ogasawara for MLB Debut Against Red Sox

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Washington Nationals have recalled left-handed pitcher Shinnosuke Ogasawara from Triple-A Rochester and will start him against the Boston Red Sox today. This marks Ogasawara’s Major League Baseball debut. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo announced the move on Sunday.

Ogasawara, 27, signed a two-year contract worth $3.5 million earlier this year, becoming the first player recruited directly from Japan by the Nationals on January 24, 2025. He spent time in the minor leagues recovering from an oblique injury after being sidelined earlier in the season.

Before his call-up, Ogasawara performed well during his minor league rehab assignment, posting a 4.50 ERA with 24 strikeouts and six walks over 24 innings in six games this season. His last outing in the minors was on June 25, where he struck out five batters in four innings.

With Ogasawara’s debut, the Nationals aim to bolster their struggling pitching rotation, especially since Trevor Williams was placed on the injured list due to an elbow sprain. Ogasawara will be filling in as the Nationals sit in the bottom third of the league in various pitching categories, with a 5.15 ERA so far this season.

Ogasawara previously pitched nine seasons in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball League for the Chunichi Dragons. He was named an NPB All-Star in 2023 and concluded his last season in Japan with an impressive 3.12 ERA.

While Ogasawara’s success in NPB has garnered attention, concerns remain regarding his low strikeout rate, which poses questions about his effectiveness in the more competitive MLB environment. The Nationals will closely evaluate his performance to gauge his future role on the team.