What is the best single season by a Japanese player in MLB history?

Two-way MVP campaigns share the field with a record hit total, a rookie strikeout crown and closer years with microscopic ERAs, stretching across three decades of Japanese stars in the majors.

1. 1
   Ichiro Suzuki (2004)

   Set the MLB single-season record with 262 hits and won the AL batting title with a .372 average for Seattle.
   1000pts
2. 2
   Yu Darvish (2013)

   Led MLB with 277 strikeouts for Texas, went 13–9 with a 2.83 ERA and finished second in AL Cy Young voting.
   799pts
3. 3
   Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2025)

   Went 12–8 with a 2.49 ERA and 201 strikeouts, then won three games in the World Series and was named its MVP.
   611pts
4. 4
   Shohei Ohtani (2023)

   Hit .304 with an AL-leading 44 home runs, went 10–5 with a 3.14 ERA on the mound and won his second unanimous AL MVP.
   611pts
5. 5
   Ichiro Suzuki (2001)

   Won both AL Rookie of the Year and AL MVP after hitting .350 with 242 hits and 56 stolen bases for the 116-win Mariners.
   611pts
6. 6
   Kenta Maeda (2020)

   Went 6–1 with a 2.70 ERA and an AL-best 0.75 WHIP for Minnesota and finished second in AL Cy Young voting.
   611pts
7. 7
   Kazuhiro Sasaki (2000)

   Saved 37 games for Seattle at 32 and won AL Rookie of the Year.
   611pts
8. 8
   Shohei Ohtani (2024)

   Hit 54 home runs and stole 59 bases for the Dodgers, the first 50–50 season in MLB history, and won the NL MVP and the World Series.
   611pts
9. 9
   Hideki Matsui (2009)

   Hit 28 home runs for the Yankees and won World Series MVP after driving in six runs in the clinching Game 6.
   517pts
10. 10
    Shohei Ohtani (2025)

    Hit 55 home runs, returned to the mound for the Dodgers and won a fourth unanimous MVP alongside a second straight World Series title.
    402pts
11. 11
    Yu Darvish (2020)

    Went 8–3 with a 2.01 ERA for the Cubs in the shortened season and finished second in NL Cy Young voting.
    402pts
12. 12
    Takashi Saito (2007)

    Saved 39 games with a 1.40 ERA for the Dodgers and made the NL All-Star team.
    402pts
13. 13
    Shohei Ohtani (2021)

    Hit 46 home runs and went 9–2 with a 3.18 ERA as a two-way Angel, winning a unanimous AL MVP.
    402pts
14. 14
    Shohei Ohtani (2022)

    Hit 34 home runs and went 15–9 with a 2.33 ERA and 219 strikeouts, finishing second in AL MVP voting.
    402pts
15. 15
    Hideo Nomo (1995)

    Won NL Rookie of the Year with the Dodgers, going 13–6 with a 2.54 ERA and a league-leading 236 strikeouts, and started the All-Star Game.
    402pts
16. 16
    Koji Uehara (2013)

    Posted a 1.09 ERA as Boston's closer, was ALCS MVP and recorded the final out of the World Series.
    0pts
17. 17
    Daisuke Matsuzaka (2008)

    Went 18–3 with a 2.90 ERA for Boston and finished fourth in AL Cy Young voting.
    0pts
18. 18
    Hisashi Iwakuma (2013)

    Went 14–6 with a 2.66 ERA for Seattle, made the All-Star team and finished third in AL Cy Young voting.
    0pts
19. 19
    Kodai Senga (2023)

    Went 12–7 with a 2.98 ERA and 202 strikeouts as a Mets rookie, finishing second in NL Rookie of the Year voting.
    0pts
20. 20
    Shota Imanaga (2024)

    Went 15–3 with a 2.91 ERA as a Cubs rookie, made the All-Star team and the All-MLB Second Team.
    0pts

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