On April 15th, all MLB players will wear number 42.
April 15 marks the date that Jackie Robinson, who paved the way for black players to join the MLB, made his MLB debut. In honor of his achievements, MLB celebrates "Jackie Robinson Day" every April 15 when all players wear the number "42" to the game.
Many foreign players who end up playing in the NPB want this number. In this article, we will introduce some of the most impressive performances of foreign players who have used the number "42" in the past at Pacific League. We look back on the history of the number "42" of each club and look forward to the success of the players who will wear the number in 2025.
The Fighters
Bernard Brito, who joined The Fighters in the middle of 1995, produced 21 Home Run in just 56 games that year, with an overwhelming batting average of .313, RBI, and a slugging percentage of .636. In 1996, he continued to hit 29 Home Run and 83 RBI in 126 games, leading the team to second place.
Brian Sweeney, who joined the team in 2007, contributed to the team's league championship that year, and in his second year in Japan in 2008, he won 12 games as a key starter. Michel Abreu recorded 31 Home Run and 95 RBI in 2013, achieving the remarkable feat of winning Home Run title in his first year in Japan.
As of 2025, pitcher Annulla Zavala, who is in his second year in Japan, is wearing the same number. I hope that this season he will be able to fully demonstrate his powerful fastball.
The Eagles
Jose Fernandez, who was transferred from The Lions in 2006, the second year of the team's founding, wore number "42" and recorded a batting average of .302, Home Run, and 88 RBI in his first year with the team. He was the team's first individual title winner, earning him the Best Nine in the third third baseman category, and was a key player in the team's early days.
Frank Herman, who joined the team in 2017, pitched in 153 games over three years, recording 66 hold and 19 saves, and became a key part of the team's winning formula, supporting bullpen.
The Lions
Alex Cabrera hit 49 Home Run and 124 RBI in 2001, his first year in Japan, and in 2002, he hit 55 Home Run in a season, which was an NPB record at the time. Since 2001, he has achieved 49 Home Run and 110 RBI or higher for three consecutive years, and in his seven years with the club, he has hit 273 Home Run and has left an enormous impact as one of the strongest hitter in NPB history.
Craig Brazell, who joined the club in 2008 when Cabrera left the club and took over the number "42", also helped the club win the league title in the same year with 27 Home Run and 87 RBI as the number 4 hitter. Kyle Martin came to Japan midway through 2018 and posted a solid pitch of 2.08 with 12 hold points and one s ERA ave. He was the savior of the struggling bullpen and helped them win the league title that year.
Bo Takahashi pitcher, who currently wears the number, has appeared in 88 games over the past three years, both as a starter and as a reliever. In his fourth year in Japan, will he be able to demonstrate his multi-talents and make his presence felt as one of the main pitcher?
The Marines
Eric Hillman pitch, winning 12 games in 1995, his first year in Japan, and 14 games the following year in 1996. Jose Fernandez also recorded a batting average of .303, Home Run, and 100 RBI in 2003, his first year in Japan, building the foundation for his long-term success in Japanese baseball.
Dan Serafini pitched well in his second year in Japan in 2005, winning 11 games with ERA of 2.91, and contributed greatly to the team's league championship and Japan Series victory that year. Frank Herman, who transferred from The Eagles in 2020, recorded 47 hold during his two years with the team, and contributed to the team's success in finishing second for two consecutive years.
CC Mercedes pitcher transferred from The Giants in 2023, has been pitching as a starter for two consecutive years, contributing to the team's entry into the A class. This season, Brian Sammons, pitcher is in his first year in Japan, is wearing number 42 and is expected to perform as well as his predecessor.
The Buffaloes
Alex Cabrera, who was transferred from The Lions in 2008, contributed to the team's rise to second place that year with a batting average of .315, Home Run, and 104 RBI. In 2010, he recorded a batting average of .331 and competed for the hitter title until the end of the season, supporting The Buffaloes as a key player.
Willie Mo Peña moved from The Hawks to The Buffaloes in 2014, hitting a career-high 32 Home Run that year. He showed impressive power and was in the running for Home Run title until the end of the season, leading the team in a fierce battle for the championship as the cleanup hitter.
pitcher Andres Machado, who currently wears this number, pitched well in 2024, his first year in Japan, with 19 hold points in 53 games, 23 saves, the most of any foreign pitcher on the team, and an ERA of 2.03, and he continues to play an active role as part of the winning pattern this season as well.
The Hawks
Julio Zuleta joined the team mid-season in 2003, hitting 13 Home Run in just 67 games and helping the team win the league championship and Japan Series. In 2004, he improved his performance to 37 Home Run and 100 RBI, and in 2005, he was second in the league in all three batting categories with a batting average of .319, 43 Home Run RBI, and 99 RBIs. He gained popularity for his batting, hitting 122 Home Run in his three and a half years with the team, and for his cheerful performance of "Panama Canal."
It is interesting to note that there were notable success stories in all six Pacific League teams.
ground It is interesting to note that many of the greatest foreign players in the history of baseball have worn number "42" and that all six teams have had notable successes.
Text by Ryota Mochizuki
