Japanese-Iranian pitcher who set Nippon Professional Baseball strikeout records before joining MLB, where he became a multi-time All-Star.
Background
Born in Habikino, Osaka, Japan to an Iranian father and Japanese mother, Yu Darvish was a high-school national champion before being drafted by the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in 2004.
Career
He posted a 1.99 career ERA over seven NPB seasons, then signed with the Texas Rangers in 2012 after being posted. He has also pitched for the Dodgers, Cubs, and Padres in MLB.
Style of play
A tall right-hander with a deep pitch mix including four-seam, slider, cutter, and splitter, Darvish relies on movement and pitch variety to compensate for fluctuating fastball velocity.