Shohei Ohtani may be the biggest Japanese star in MLB currently, but the Yankees have employed a solid run of Japanese stars ever since bringing Hideki Irabu to the United States back in 1997. All in all, New York has featured seven Japanese stars on their MLB roster in that period of time.
Not all seven of those players have achieved great success, but most of them have significantly impacted the Yankees and other teams they've played for. This list will walk fans through the seven Japanese players who have donned pinstripes over the years.
Hideki Irabu
Hideki Irabu arrived in the United States with big-time hype after his stellar pitching in the NFB. He originally was sold to the Padres but he had his heart set on suiting up for the Yankees. His refusal to play for San Diego paved his way to New York. He made his debut for the team in July of 1997 and was a member of the team's starting rotation.
Most interestingly, Irabu became the first Japanese player to win a World Series title. He won two rings with the Yankees in 1998 and 1999. He never lived up to his hype in the Bronx though. He left the Yankees in 2000 and hung on with the Expos and Rangers for a few additional seasons. Irabu finished his MLB career with an ERA of 5.15 before finishing his professional career back in Japan.
Irabu's personal story ended tragically with his 2011 suicide.
Ichiro Suzuki
Ichiro Suzuki played most of his Hall of Fame career with the Mariners but did play for the Yankees from 2012-2014. He was more of a reserve during his tenure with New York but he did mark his time with the club with a couple of memorable postseason moments.
In his prime, Suzuki terrorized opponents with his elite contact skills and speed. Both of those skills had started to deteriorate by the time he got to New York but he was still a popular player with fans due to the energy he played with.
Hideki Matsui
Hideki Matsui broke the mold of Japanese baseball players moving to MLB when he arrived on the scene for the Yankees in 2003. He was not a light hitting outfielder or a pitcher with an unusual windup. He arrived in New York as a power-hitting corner outfielder with the nickname of "Godzilla."
He was a fixture in the heart of the Yankee lineup until he left the team in 2009. His greatest achievement with New York might have come in the World Series immediately preceding his departure. He won the World Series Most Valuable Player Award as the Yankees defeated the Phillies to win it all.
Kei Igawa
Kei Igawa might be the biggest Japanese flop the Yankees ever signed. He arrived with high expectations when the team inked him to a four-year, $20 million deal. Igawa was struggling to get minor league hitters out with any sort of consistency by the end of his time with the franchise.
Ultimately, the left-hander's lack of velocity did him in. It forced him to try to throw too hard and he lost command of his offspeed pitches as a result. His signing was a complete disaster for the Yankees and himself.
Hiroki Kuroda
Hiroki Kuroda did not throw his first pitch as a Yankee until his age-37 season but he still enjoyed three productive seasons in the Bronx. The Japanese righty earned a WAR of 5.3 in 2012 after throwing over 219 innings in 33 starts for the club.
He ultimately left the Yankees to conclude his career in Japan. It's interesting to consider what might have been with Kuroda had he come to MLB in his prime. That might have allowed him to join Ichiro as another Japanese member of basball's Hall of Fame.
Ryoti Igarshi
Any Yankee fan that cannot recall Ryoti Igarshi's stint with the team should be forgiven. After all, he only pitched three innings for the team back in 2012. His entire time in MLB was infinitely forgettable.
Masahiro Tanaka
The list of Japanese Yankees ends with a starting pitcher who only pitched for New York during his MLB career. Masahiro Tanaka was a borderline ace for the Yankees whose tenure in the United States was tragically cut short after his family faced racism in the midst of the global pandemic.
During his prime, Tanaka pitched like a dominant ace who was never afraid to take the ball from his manager in a high-pressure environment. He kept opposing hitters off balance with his full cadre of pitches and unusual windup. He was never a true No. 1 starter but he was always a starter his manager could count on.