Kei Igawa #29

Name is pronounced "KAY Ee-GAH-wah"... was originally selected by the Hanshin Tigers out of Mito Shogyo High School... enjoys playing shogi (Japanese chess)... according to the Elias Sports Bureau, was the 39th Japanese-born player in Major League history, the 26th Japanese-born pitcher and just the eighth to debut as a starter.

2009

Went 10-8 with a 4.15 ERA in 26 starts for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, leading the team in both wins and games started and ranking fourth among all Yankees minor leaguers in wins... set the record for most career wins in Scranton/WB history (29)... owned a 7-3 record with a 2.72 ERA (76.0IP, 23ER) in 13 home starts, compared to a 3-5 mark with a 5.71 ERA in 13 starts on the road (69.1IP, 44ER)... struck out a season-high eight batters twice (6/16 vs. Toledo and 7/16 vs. Gwinnett)... made two postseason appearances (one start) for the International League runner-ups, going 0-2 with a 10.29 ERA (7.0IP, 8ER).

2008

Was 0-1 with a 13.50 ERA in two games (one start) over two stints with the Yankees (5/9-15; 6/27-28)... recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and started on 5/9 at Detroit, making his only start of the season and recording the loss in a 6-5 Tigers victory (3.0IP, 6ER, 11H)... recalled a second time from Scranton/ WB prior to Game 2 of a split-stadium doubleheader on 6/27 vs. the Mets... made his only relief appearance of the season in the 9-0 Yankees victory at Shea Stadium (1.0IP, 2H)... was optioned back to Scranton/WB the following day... earned Scranton/WB's "Pitcher of the Year" Award, appearing in 26 games (24 starts) and going 14-6 with a 3.45 ERA... led the team in wins, starts, innings pitched (156.1IP) and strikeouts (117)... tied for second in the International League in wins and ranked fourth in ERA... made two starts in the IL playoffs, going 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA for the IL champions.

2007

Was 2-3 with a 6.25 ERA in 14G (12GS) over three stints with the Yankees in 2007 (4/2-5/7; 6/22-7/27; 9/9-9/30). ...Opponents batted .279 (76-for-272, 15HR); LH .320 (24-for-75, 3HR), RH .264 (52-for-197, 12HR)...opposing teams recorded just one stolen base with him on the mound this season...Made Major League debut on 4/7 vs. Baltimore, allowing 7ER in 5.0IP and recording a no-decision in a 10-7 Yankees victory...Earned his first Major-League win on 4/18 vs. Cleveland in his third career start (6.0IP, 5H, 2ER, 1BB, 5K)...The Yankees started Chase Wright, Igawa and Darrell Rasner in their series vs. Cleveland from 4/17-19...according to the Elias Sports Bureau, it marked the first time the Yankees started rookies in three consecutive non-September games since 7/18-20/91 at Oakland (Scott Kamieniecki, Jeff Johnson and Wade Taylor)...Additionally, during the three-game sweep vs. the Indians, each starter recorded their first career Major League win...according to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Yankees became the first team in Major League history to sweep a series of three or more games with each pitcher recording his first Major League victory...it was also the first time three rookies recorded their first career ML wins in three straight games for the Yankees since Norm Branch, Charlie Stanceu and Steve Peek did so from 5/20-22/41...Made first career relief appearance on 4/28 vs. Boston and tossed 6.0 scoreless innings, recording the win the 3-1 Yankees victory...entered the game for starter Jeff Karstens, who left after two batters after being struck by a Julio Lugo line drive on the game's first pitch...was the longest outing by a Yankees reliever since Aaron Small tossed 6.2 innings of relief in a 7-4 loss vs. Toronto on 9/24/05...Allowed a season-high 9H and 8ER on 5/4 vs. Seattle, recording the loss in a 15-11 Mariners victory...was his shortest outing of the season (4.0IP)...Was optioned to Single-A Tampa on 5/7...went 1-1 in two starts at Tampa, allowing 7H and 2ER in 9.0IP...was transferred to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on 5/29...Was recalled from Scranton/WB on 6/22...made five starts with the Yankees going 0-2 with a 5.97 ERA before being optioned back to Scranton/WB on 7/27...In his second stint with Scranton/WB, made seven starts, going 3-2 with a 4.15 ERA (43.1IP, 8BB, 44K)...in his only postseason start, recorded a no-decision in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's 6-4 Game 2 victory on 9/6 in the first round of the International League's playoffs at Richmond (5.0IP, 6H, 2ER, 2BB, 4K)...Established single-game career highs with 7K and 115 pitches thrown on 7/16 vs. Toronto (5.0IP, 7H, 3ER, 4BB)...Was recalled for third time on 9/11...made two appearances, including a spot start in 9/25 loss at Tampa Bay...threw 5.0 scoreless innings as the Rays recorded the 10th-inning walk-off win (2H, 5BB, 2K)...Overall with Scranton/WB, was 5-4 with a 3.69 ERA (68.1IP, 68H, 30R, 28ER, 15BB, 71K, 10HR) in 11 starts...Received the 2007 James P. Dawson Award for "Most Outstanding Rookie in Spring Training" from the New York chapter of the BBWAA on 3/31 at Legends Field...in six Grapefruit League starts, Igawa posted a 2-0 record with a 3.13 ERA and a team-high 22 strikeouts...joined Hideki Matsui as the only two Japanese-born players to win the honor...Name is pronounced "KAY Ee-GAH-wah"...was acquired by the Yankees through the MLB/Japanese posting system...signed a five-year contract with the Yankees on December 27, 2006...According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Igawa was the 39th Japanese-born player in Major League history...was the Majors' 26th Japanese-born pitcher, but just the eighth to debut as a starter.

2006

Posted a 14-9 record with a 2.97 ERA in 29 starts for the Hanshin Tigers of the Japanese Central League...won at least 13 games for the fifth consecutive season (2002-'06)...was tied for the Central League pitchers with 194 strikeouts and three shutouts, ranked second in wins and complete games (eight), third in innings pitched (209.0) and ranked seventh with his 2.97 ERA...Struck out at least 10 batters in a game six times...on 4/14, became the fifth-fastest pitcher in Japanese baseball history to record 1,000 career strikeouts (in 1,058 innings pitched)...Posted double-digit strikeouts in three consecutive starts from 8/15-29...in 10/3 win at Yakurut, tossed a three-hit shutout...in his final game with Hanshin, tossed a six-hit shutout and struck out 10 batters on 10/16 at the Yakult Swallows in a 3-0 victory...Played in the 2006 Major League Baseball Japan All-Star Series...made one start for the Japanese All Stars vs. the U.S. Major League All-Star Team on 11/7, allowing 2ER-including a David Wright home run-in 6.0IP (5H, 6BB, 4K)...was posted by the Hanshin Tigers on 11/16...on 11/29, the New York Yankees posted the highest bid and gained exclusive negotiating rights for a 30-day window.