# 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.

*By YPB Team · Published November 12, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/what-is-the-best-single-season-by-a-japanese-player-in-mlb-history*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Ichiro Suzuki (2004)** — score 1000/1000
   Set the MLB single-season record with 262 hits and won the AL batting title with a .372 average for Seattle.
2. **Yu Darvish (2013)** — score 799/1000
   Led MLB with 277 strikeouts for Texas, went 13–9 with a 2.83 ERA and finished second in AL Cy Young voting.
3. **Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2025)** — score 611/1000
   Went 12–8 with a 2.49 ERA and 201 strikeouts, then won three games in the World Series and was named its MVP.
4. **Shohei Ohtani (2023)** — score 611/1000
   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.
5. **Ichiro Suzuki (2001)** — score 611/1000
   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.
6. **Kenta Maeda (2020)** — score 611/1000
   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.
7. **Kazuhiro Sasaki (2000)** — score 611/1000
   Saved 37 games for Seattle at 32 and won AL Rookie of the Year.
8. **Shohei Ohtani (2024)** — score 611/1000
   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.
9. **Hideki Matsui (2009)** — score 517/1000
   Hit 28 home runs for the Yankees and won World Series MVP after driving in six runs in the clinching Game 6.
10. **Shohei Ohtani (2025)** — score 402/1000
   Hit 55 home runs, returned to the mound for the Dodgers and won a fourth unanimous MVP alongside a second straight World Series title.
11. **Yu Darvish (2020)** — score 402/1000
   Went 8–3 with a 2.01 ERA for the Cubs in the shortened season and finished second in NL Cy Young voting.
12. **Takashi Saito (2007)** — score 402/1000
   Saved 39 games with a 1.40 ERA for the Dodgers and made the NL All-Star team.
13. **Shohei Ohtani (2021)** — score 402/1000
   Hit 46 home runs and went 9–2 with a 3.18 ERA as a two-way Angel, winning a unanimous AL MVP.
14. **Shohei Ohtani (2022)** — score 402/1000
   Hit 34 home runs and went 15–9 with a 2.33 ERA and 219 strikeouts, finishing second in AL MVP voting.
15. **Hideo Nomo (1995)** — score 402/1000
   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.
16. **Koji Uehara (2013)** — score 0/1000
   Posted a 1.09 ERA as Boston's closer, was ALCS MVP and recorded the final out of the World Series.
17. **Daisuke Matsuzaka (2008)** — score 0/1000
   Went 18–3 with a 2.90 ERA for Boston and finished fourth in AL Cy Young voting.
18. **Hisashi Iwakuma (2013)** — score 0/1000
   Went 14–6 with a 2.66 ERA for Seattle, made the All-Star team and finished third in AL Cy Young voting.
19. **Kodai Senga (2023)** — score 0/1000
   Went 12–7 with a 2.98 ERA and 202 strikeouts as a Mets rookie, finishing second in NL Rookie of the Year voting.
20. **Shota Imanaga (2024)** — score 0/1000
   Went 15–3 with a 2.91 ERA as a Cubs rookie, made the All-Star team and the All-MLB Second Team.

Tags: baseball, players, japan, mlb, seasons