Photo: Arturo Pardavila III on Flickr (Original version) UCinternational (Crop) / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Okay, let me just say it: a 24-0 season is not a stat, it's a cheat code, and Masahiro Tanaka pulled it off in 2013 while basically carrying Rakuten to their first-ever championship in a region still picking itself back up after the earthquake. That's the stuff legends are made of. What I love about Mar-kun is the splitter that falls off the table right when hitters are sure they've got him, and the way he just glares through pain and keeps grinding, whether it's Sendai or the Bronx pinstripes. Going to the Yankees and holding his own took serious nerve. By the time he's pulling on a Giants uniform in 2024, you realize this guy never had an easy era of his career, he just out-willed all of them. Pure competitor.
Story
The Miracle of 24-0-1: Masahiro Tanaka, the Man Who Pitched on Sheer Will
Overview
Masahiro Tanaka is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher born on November 1, 1988, in Itami, Hyogo Prefecture. He was drafted first overall by the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in 2006 and made his professional debut in 2007, earning Pacific League Rookie of the Year honors. In 2013 he posted a historic 24 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw with a 1.27 ERA, leading Rakuten to their first Japan Series championship and earning the unanimous Pacific League MVP award. After seven seasons with the New York Yankees (2014–2020), he returned to Rakuten before moving to the Yomiuri Giants in 2024.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Masahiro Tanaka
- Name (Japanese)
- 田中将大
- Reading
- たなかまさひろ
- Born
- November 1, 1988 (age 37)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Scorpio / Dragon
- Origin
- Itami, Hyogo, Japan
- Height
- 188 cm
- Agency
- Yomiuri Giants
- Agency history
- Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (2007–2013)
New York Yankees (2014–2020)
Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (2021–2024) - Active years
- 2007–present
- Occupation
- Professional baseball player / Pitcher
2. Background
- High school
- Komazawa University Tomakomai High School
- University
- Did not attend university (turned professional after high school)
- Debut
- 2007, joined the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles as a first-round draft pick after high school graduation and made his professional debut
Awards & achievements
- 2007 Pacific League Rookie of the Year
- 2011 Pacific League Most Wins
- 2011 Pacific League Best ERA
- 2011 Sawamura Award
- 2011 Pacific League Best Nine (Pitcher)
- 2012 Pacific League Most Strikeouts
- 2013 Pacific League Most Wins
- 2013 Pacific League Best ERA
- 2013 Sawamura Award
- 2013 Pacific League MVP (unanimous)
Timeline
- 2005As a second-year student at Komazawa University Tomakomai High School, contributed to back-to-back national high school championship titles
- 2006Reached the Summer Koshien final; lost in a replay game against Waseda Jitsugyo to finish as runner-up
- 2007Joined the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles; posted 11 wins and earned Pacific League Rookie of the Year
- 2011Won the pitcher Triple Crown (most wins, best ERA, most strikeouts) and the Sawamura Award
- 2013Posted a record 24-0-1 with a 1.27 ERA, leading Rakuten to their first Japan Series championship; earned unanimous MVP and Sawamura Award
- 2014Moved to the New York Yankees; went 13-5 with a 2.77 ERA in his first season
- 2015Became the first Japanese pitcher to serve as Opening Day starter in Yankees history
- 2021Returned to the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
- 2024Transferred to the Yomiuri Giants
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Mai Satoda (married March 2012)
- Children
- 2 (son born 2016, daughter born 2019; names private)
4. Personality
Hobbies
- Golf
- Horse racing
- Fishing
- Gaming
Specialties
- Fastball
- Split-finger fastball
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| TV program | Pro Baseball All-Star Festival | Appearance | 2009 |
| Book | Masahiro Tanaka: Ma-kun's Way | Author | 2014 |
6. Links
- Official sitehttps://masahiro-tanaka.jp/
- Xhttps://x.com/t_masahiro18
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%94%B0%E4%B8%AD%E5%B0%86%E5%A4%A7
Frequently asked questions
When was Masahiro Tanaka born?
Born November 1, 1988 (age 37).
Where is Masahiro Tanaka from?
Masahiro Tanaka is from Itami, Hyogo, Japan.
What does Masahiro Tanaka do?
Masahiro Tanaka works as Professional baseball player, Pitcher.
How tall is Masahiro Tanaka?
Masahiro Tanaka is 188 cm.
What agency is Masahiro Tanaka with?
Masahiro Tanaka is with Yomiuri Giants.
How long has Masahiro Tanaka been active?
2007–present.
What is Masahiro Tanaka known for?
Notable works include Pro Baseball All-Star Festival, Masahiro Tanaka: Ma-kun's Way.
Professional baseball player — see all → · More people from Japan →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.