The Red Sox’ newest reliever Hirokazu Sawamura’s scouting report describes a blazing fastball paired with an above-average splitter that keeps hitters guessing.
For a couple of years, however, Sawamura lost that fastball due to an injury that his team at the time blamed on a freak acupuncture accident.
Sawamura’s career was on a solid upward trajectory after he was drafted by the Yomiuri Giants in 2010. He was the Central League Rookie of the Year in 2011, and later moved to the bullpen full-time in 2015.
In February 2017, however, Sawamura complained of pain in his right shoulder.