Kazuhiro Sasaki ... resides in Yokohama, Japan, with wife Kaori and their two children: daughter Reina and son Shogo ... attended Tohoku Fukushi University ... is the second Japanese pitcher to sign with the Mariners, joining RHP Mac Suzuki, who signed with the club on Sept. 5, 1993 ... voted *Seattle Post-Intelligencer*'s Sports Star of the Year for 2000 ... named an ambassador of goodwill by The Shanti Volunteer Association (SVA) in Japan in 2002 for his contributions to volunteer and charity activities, including donating funds for scholarships for children in Thailand.
2003
Was 1-2 with 10 saves and a 4.05 ERA (33.1 IP, 15 ER) in 35 relief appearances while missing part of the season with two trips to the disabled list.
Converted 10 of 14 save opportunities.
Held opponents to a .185 batting average at home (10x54), but a .276 average on the road (21x76).
Became the 19th pitcher in AL history with four strikeouts in an inning, April 4 at Texas (9th inning).
Allowed runs in four straight games from April 17-22 before landing on the disabled list April 23 with a strained right lower back.
Assigned to injury rehab at single-A Inland Empire May 6, and activated from the disabled list May 8.
Did not allow a run in 10 May games (8.2 IP), logging five saves for the month.
Had a string of 12 consecutive scoreless games (10.2 IP) from May 8-June 5.
Landed on the disabled list June 11, retroactive to June 6, with fractured ribs on his right side, after slipping while carrying his suitcase up a flight of stairs on June 8.
Assigned to injury rehabilitation at triple-A Tacoma July 26 and Everett Aug. 2; reinstated from DL Aug. 12.
Finished August 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA (7.1 IP, 4 ER) in seven games.
Allowed two earned runs over six Sept. games, finishing the month with a 2.84 ERA (6.1 IP, 2 ER).
Acquired:
Signed as a free agent Dec. 18, 1999; signed contract extension May 11, 2002.
2002
Best closer in Mariners history had another strong season, finishing 5th in the AL with 55 games finished and 6th with 37 saves ... converted 37 of 45 save opportunities ... retired 39 of 60 first batters faced ... saved Shigetoshi Hasegawa's 5-4 win April 8 at Anaheim, the first-ever win/save combination by Japanese pitchers in the Majors ... was 1-0, 0.00 with seven saves in April, allowing only one unearned run while striking out 16 in 10.2 innings ... did not allowed an earned run in his first 20 games (20.2 IP),the longest streak ever by a Mariner to start a season; both blown saves came on unearned runs ... allowed first earned run of season and got third blown save (first loss) June 1 at Baltimore, allowing 2 runs (1 earned) on 2 hits ... set club record with career save No. 99 June 20 at Cincinnati, his 17th save on the season as club completed its first ever three-game Interleague sweep ... save on June 26 vs. Oakland was No. 100 in his MLB career, becoming the fastest player in MLB to reach that mark, achieving the feat in 160 appearances (119 save opps.) surpassing Billy Koch (192 appearances) ... allowed one earned run in first 28 appearances (28.0 innings) ... allowed first home runs of the season, giving up two July 2 vs. Kansas City in third loss (1.0, 2, 2, 2, 0, 3) ... named to AL All-Star team for second consecutive season; pitched 1.0 inning ... suffered final loss of the season (No. 5) Aug. 4 vs. Cleveland ... recorded 37th and final save of the year Sept. 25 vs. Oakland (0.1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1) ... had surgery on Oct. 28 in Japan by Dr. Yamazaki to remove loose bodies in right elbow.
2001
Set the Mariners club record and finished second in the AL with 45 saves ... collected 13 saves in April, setting the MLB mark for April and the Mariners record for saves in any month ... had saves in 13 of 15 games in April, saving 13 of Mariners first 20 wins ... blown save April 13 snapped string of 17 consecutive saves dating back to July 31, 2000 ... named AL Player of the Week for April 23-29, after going 0-0, 0.00 with four saves in four games that week (3.2 IP, 1 H, 3 K) ... had 11 consecutive scoreless outings April 20-May 13 (10.2 IP), with nine saves before blown save May 19 vs. New York (1.2 IP, 2 ER) ... recorded save No. 20 May 29 vs. Baltimore in team game No. 50, becoming the second fastest to 20 saves (Lee Smith, 46 games, 1994) ... named to the AL All-Star team ... pitched a 1-2-3 9th inning in the Midsummer Classic and got the save in the AL's 4-1 win ... was 0-0, 0.00 with five saves in eight games in July (8.2 IP) ... save on Aug. 2, 2-1 vs. Detroit was No. 300 of his pro career ... had 14 consecutive scoreless appearances June 22-Aug. 3 (15.1 IP), going 9-for-9 in save opportunities ... tied his own club record with his 37th save, Aug. 14 at Boston, 6-3 (1.0 IP, 2 K) ... set new club mark with save No. 38 Aug. 18 at New York, 7-6 (1.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 K) ... left game on Aug. 25 vs. Cleveland with sore right thigh ... recorded save No. 40 Sept. 1 at Baltimore, 6-4 ... save No. 41 Sept. 2 at Baltimore, 1-0 ... opponents batted just .195 against him ... retired 55 of 69 first batters faced ... allowed just 8.5 runners per nine innings pitched ... appeared in four games in 2001 postseason ... was 0-0, 0.00 with one save in 3 appearances in ALDS vs. Cleveland ... worked one game in ALCS vs. New York, taking 3-1 loss in Game 4 in New York.
2000
All-time saves leader in Japan League bested the all-time ML rookie saves mark with 37 saves...set Mariners club-record with 37 saves, breaking previous club record of 33...led AL with .919 save percentage...three blown saves was lowest in the AL...made ML debut April 5 vs. Boston with shutout ninth inning...struck out the side in the 9th to record first ML save April 6 vs. Boston...picked up first ML win May 6 in Anaheim (1.0 IP, 2 BB, 1 SO)...8 saves in June was led the AL...logged Mariners single-season record 15th-consecutive save July 28 against Toronto, topping Mike Timlin's former record of 14...posted a solid July, leading the AL with 10 saves...blown save on July 31 snapped his streak of 15 consecutive saves, a Mariner single season record (from June 20-July 28)...his 32nd save against Toronto on September 5 broke the AL rookie record set by Toronto's Billy Koch, who recorded 31 saves in 1999...marked the fourth time the Mariners have had a pitcher record 30 plus saves...matched club-record with save #33 at Baltimore September 17, a game in which Sasaki closed with six pitches for three outs on his 35th save opportunity...save #34 to set the new club record came on September 20 in Tampa Bay... retired 5 of 7 batters against Oakland September 24...saved Mariners Wild-Card clinching win Oct. 1 in Anaheim...was awarded Pitcher of the Year by the Seattle chapter of the BBWAA...was 0-0, 0.00 with 3 saves in four postseason appearances in 2000...had two saves in ALDS vs. Chicago, saving Games 1 and 2 in Chicago...saved Seattle's 2-0 win in Game 1 of ALCS in New York.
1999
Japan's all-time saves leader made 23 appearances for Yokohama before undergoing season-ending elbow surgery...was 1-1, 1.93 with 19 saves...had surgery on August 9...
1998
enjoyed finest season of his career in 1998b&set Japanese Baseball records with 45 saves and 22 consecutive savesb&recorded his 200th career save on Sept. 4b&recorded 78 strikeouts, while walking 14, for a 5.6 strikeout-to-walk ratiob&won fourth monthly MVP award in Septb&named an All-Star for the sixth time and Fireman of the Year for the fourth consecutive year, fifth time overallb&named Central League's MVP and Pitcher of the Yearb&also named IBM "Best of the Year"b&helped Yokohama to Central League Championship and win over Seibu in the Japan Series in six gamesb&appeared in three games in the Japan Series, recording one save (3.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K)b&named to the "Best Nine" end-of-season All-Star team.
1997
earned sixth All-Star honors in 1997b&was 3-0, 0.90 in 49 games with 38 savesb&recorded 150th career save on Aug. 7 vs. Hanshinb&earned second monthly MVP award in Augustb&named Fireman of the Year for the fourth timeb&
1996
was named an All-Star for the fourth time in 1996b&also was named Fireman of the Year for the third time...was 4-3, 2.90 with 25 savesb&
1995
named Fireman of the Year in 1995...was 7-2, 1.75 with 32 saves in 47 games...earned third All-Star honors...recorded his 100th save on Sept. 27 vs. Tokyo...
1994
appeared in 31 games in 1994, going 3-1, 2.15 with 10 saves...
1993
was 3-6, 3.27 in 1993b&recorded 20 saves...named an All-Star for the second time...
1992
was named the Fireman of the Year in 1992 after going 12-6, 2.46 with 21 saves in 53 games...was named to the All-Star team for the first time...
1991
was 6-9, 2.00 with 17 saves in 58 games in 1991...earned his first monthly MVP award in July...had a career-high 117.0 innings pitched and 137 strikeouts...
1990
began his career with Yokohama in 1990...recorded his first save on April 11 vs. Hiroshima...earned his first win on May 24 vs. Yakult...
1989
was selected by Yokohama in first round of Japanese draft, in November of 1989...
