PHILADELPHIA -- When Jake Irvin exited his start with one out in the third inning in Sunday afternoon's 3-2 loss to the Phillies at Nationals Park, left-hander Shinnosuke Ogasawara ran out from the bullpen with the experience of a starting pitcher and the newly-discovered mindset of a Major League reliever.
“He’s a freakin’ competitor,” said Irvin. “He likes to go out there and just get after people. I think that he’s done a really good job just going right at guys.”
It was only in February that Ogasawara, 27, was competing for a spot in the Nationals’ starting rotation in his first season playing outside of Japan, having signed a two-year deal in January. He spent most of the year in the Minor Leagues, and when he returned to the Majors in August, the Nats shifted him to a multi-inning reliever role.
Ogasawara has excelled. Since Aug. 2, he is 1-0 with a 3.07 ERA and a .180 opponents’ batting average in nine appearances across 14 2/3 innings.
A true test came this month, when he pitched in consecutive series against the Phillies, Mets and Phillies again. He entered the series finale on Sunday holding left-handed batters to a 0.77 batting average (1-for-13) in his past seven appearances.
After Irvin’s workload quickly rose to 69 pitches (39 strikes), the Nats called on Ogasawara to cover 2 2/3 innings. He retired eight of the 10 batters he faced, did not allow a hit, issued two walks and struck out two.
“He’s mixing his pitches really well,” said interim manager Miguel Cairo. “He’s got a sneaky fastball, he’s got a soft curveball and a good slider. He knows how to pitch.”
Ogasawara battled the top of the Phillies’ order and kept them off base. He got Trea Turner to line out to right field, Kyle Schwarber to ground out to first base and Bryce Harper to fly out to left field. His success against the Phillies’ slugging lefties continued.
Schwarber vs. Ogasawara
- Aug. 14: Strikeout swinging
- Aug. 17: Lineout to first base (unassisted double play)
- Aug. 22: Strikeout swinging
- Aug. 24: Groundout to first base
Harper vs. Ogasawara
- Aug. 17: Lineout to right field
- Aug. 22: Strikeout swinging
- Aug. 24: Flyout to left field
“He's been fun to watch since he came back up,” said center fielder Jacob Young. “I thought he’s located really well. He’s pitched off that fastball. Obviously, that curveball’s fun to watch from the outfield, but it can’t be very fun to be in the box with. I think he’s done a great job locating and competing. He's taken this new role he's gotten in stride, and that's not always easy to do. So a lot of kudos to him.”
Following a nine-year career with the Chunichi Dragons, Ogasawara is being lauded for what he brings to the bullpen in Washington. He has the potential to “save the bullpen,” Cairo said, with multiple innings or dominate against lefties in a single frame.
“He’s a warrior,” said Cairo. “I like him because he goes on the mound and he’s not scared to attack the zone and make his pitches around the zone. It’s good that he goes out there and tries to prove to everyone that, ‘Hey, I belong in the big leagues.’”