Hisanori Takahashi

3.1.1. 2000-2005 seasons

Takahashi debuted in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) with the Yomiuri Giants in 2000, quickly making an impact. On April 6, 2000, against the Chunichi Dragons, he made his first professional start and earned his first victory, a feat not seen by a Giants pitcher since Tsuneo Horiuchi. Although he finished his rookie season with a strong 9-6 record and a 3.18 ERA, losing the Rookie of the Year award to Tatsuhiro Kinjo, he became the first left-handed pitcher drafted by the Giants to complete the annual innings requirement in his debut year. In Game 5 of the 2000 Japan Series at Fukuoka Dome, he pitched a complete game shutout in his first Japan Series appearance, becoming the 10th pitcher in history and the 5th Giants pitcher to achieve this, earning the Excellent Player Award.

In 2001, Takahashi recorded 9 wins but did not reach the innings requirement. That year, he also married. The 2002 season saw him achieve his first 10-win season, again meeting the innings requirement, and contributing significantly to the Giants' league championship. He was the winning pitcher in Game 4 of the 2002 Japan Series against the Seibu Lions, helping the team secure another Japan Series title.

However, the 2003 and 2004 seasons were marred by injuries, leading to inconsistent performance. In 2003, he pitched in only 13 games, finishing with a 4-4 record and a 3.84 ERA. Notably, on May 21, 2003, against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows at Fukuoka Dome, he was pitching a shutout until his left fielder, Chris Latham, mistakenly threw the ball into the stands after catching an out, allowing a runner to score due to the two-base award rule (Rule 7.05(g)(1)), costing Takahashi his shutout despite a complete game victory. In 2004, he had a losing record of 5-10 over 16 appearances but did pitch the team's only complete game shutout of the season on August 26 against the Chunichi Dragons.

The 2005 season saw Takahashi maintain a spot in the starting rotation, but his pitching remained unstable, resulting in an 8-12 record. On May 8, against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles at Miyagi, he faced Hisashi Iwakuma in a pitching duel but took the loss, making him the first Giants pitcher to be charged with a loss in an interleague game. Despite these struggles, he reached the innings requirement for the first time in three years. Over the three-year period from 2003 to 2005, his combined record was 17-26 with an ERA of 5.00, indicating a period of decline.

3.1.2. 2006 season

The 2006 season began with promising signs as Takahashi adopted an aggressive inside pitching style, leading to strong performances in exhibition games. However, his regular season was drastically altered on April 5, when a foul ball hit by Nori Aoki of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows struck his face in the dugout, causing a fractured right cheekbone and a prolonged absence from the field. Upon his return, he transitioned into a closer role as an emergency measure due to Kiyoshi Toyoda's injury, successfully recording 15 saves for the season. His final statistics for the year included 2 wins, 6 losses, 15 saves, and 4 holds with a 4.94 ERA over 35 appearances. A notable low point occurred on October 10 against the Chunichi Dragons, when he surrendered a grand slam to Tyrone Woods in the 12th inning, marking the first time in the history of Tokyo Dome that an opposing team celebrated winning the league championship on the Giants' home field. In the offseason, Takahashi actively sought a return to the starting rotation, directly appealing to General Manager Hidetoshi Kiyotake and reportedly even making his case to manager Tatsunori Hara during a team banquet.

3.1.3. 2007 season

In the 2007 season, Hisanori Takahashi successfully returned to his preferred role as a starting pitcher. He had an exceptional April, securing five wins, a feat last achieved by a Giants left-handed pitcher in May 1979 by Hisao Niura, 28 years prior. Despite the tragic death of his father on June 21, Takahashi continued to pitch, and on June 23, he earned his 10th win against the Seibu Lions. This milestone made him the first pitcher in the league to reach 10 wins that season, the first Giants pitcher to do so since Koji Uehara on July 4, 1999, and the first to achieve it by June since Masaaki Saito on June 22, 1990.

His stellar performance earned him his first All-Star Game selection via manager's recommendation. He started Game 2 at Miyagi Baseball Stadium, allowing two runs in two innings, including a home run to Takeshi Yamasaki, but was credited with the win thanks to the strong offense from the Central League, notably a three-run home run by Shinnosuke Abe. Takahashi concluded the season with a career-high 14 wins, playing a pivotal role in the Giants' league championship victory. Although his ERA briefly fell behind Seth Greisinger's from August 2 to September 15, he finished strong with two consecutive wins, securing his first individual title, the Best Earned Run Average, and contributing to the team's first league championship in five years.

However, in the newly introduced Climax Series Final Stage against the second-place Chunichi Dragons, Takahashi started Game 3. He held the Dragons scoreless for three innings but surrendered a go-ahead three-run home run to Tyrone Woods in the fourth inning and a solo home run to Motonobu Tanishige in the seventh. He took the loss, pitching seven innings and allowing four earned runs, which ultimately prevented the Giants from advancing to the Japan Series. In a television interview that year, Takahashi expressed his long-term ambition to achieve a perfect game someday and declared his intention to become a leader of the Giants' pitching staff, alongside Koji Uehara, as veteran pitchers like Kimiyasu Kudo and Masumi Kuwata retired and younger talents like Tetsuya Utsumi and Kento Kanai emerged.

3.1.4. 2008-2009 seasons

In 2008, Hisanori Takahashi was named the Opening Day starter for the first time in his career, facing the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. However, he struggled, giving up five earned runs in four innings due to heavy rain and unfortunate hits, as the team lost 2-6. His slump continued, leading to his removal from the active roster on May 21 after allowing six earned runs in less than three innings against the Chiba Lotte Marines. After being reactivated on June 27, he regained his form but finished the season with 8 wins and did not reach the innings requirement. Despite his individual struggles, the Giants secured their second consecutive league championship. In the Climax Series against the Chunichi Dragons, he started Game 4, pitching 7 innings and allowing only one earned run, helping the team clinch their spot in the 2008 Japan Series. In the Japan Series against the Seibu Lions, he started Game 2 and Game 6. While he avoided a loss in Game 2 despite allowing two runs, he took his first Japan Series loss in Game 6, surrendering three runs in two innings, as the Lions ultimately defeated the Giants for the championship.

The 2009 season saw Takahashi start slowly, holding a 5-6 record by the end of August. However, he finished strong with five consecutive wins in September, concluding the season with a 10-6 record and achieving his third double-digit win season. His ERA improved to 2.94, and he met the innings requirement for the first time in two years, contributing to the Giants' third consecutive league championship. In the Climax Series Final Stage against the Chunichi Dragons, he started Game 3, giving up a two-run home run to Masahiko Morino in the first inning but otherwise pitching effectively for five innings with two earned runs. The Giants went on to win the series and advance to the 2009 Japan Series against the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. Takahashi started Game 4 of the Japan Series, allowing five earned runs in five innings and taking the loss, preventing the Giants from celebrating a championship at home. Nevertheless, the Giants secured the Japan Series title in Game 6, their first in seven years. Following the season, on November 17, Takahashi exercised his overseas free agent rights, announcing his intention to pursue a career in Major League Baseball (MLB). His agent was Nakanishi Go of the GSE Group, which had a business partnership with Peter Greenberg's PEG Inc.

3.2.1. New York Mets

On February 11, 2010, Hisanori Takahashi signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets. His contract included a unique clause stipulating that the Mets must release him to free agency by October 31, 2010. After a solid spring training performance (allowing 4 earned runs in 13 innings with a 2.77 ERA), he made the Mets' opening day roster.

He made his MLB debut on April 7 against the Florida Marlins, entering in the 10th inning as the sixth reliever, but took the loss after allowing two hits, one walk, and one earned run to four batters. On April 23, he earned his first MLB win in an emergency relief appearance against the Atlanta Braves, taking over for an injured John Maine. He pitched three innings, allowing two hits, one walk, and one run while striking out seven. In the same game, he also recorded his first MLB hit off Kenshin Kawakami, which led his teammates to playfully chant "Ichiro!" upon his return to the dugout. On May 21, he made his first MLB start against the New York Yankees, pitching six scoreless innings and allowing five hits, but received a no-decision.

Takahashi recorded his first major league save on August 16 against the Houston Astros. Following an injury to the team's regular closer, Francisco Rodríguez, Takahashi was designated as the closer. On October 1, against the Washington Nationals, he entered in the ninth inning of a tied game, pitching two scoreless innings with four strikeouts. A walk-off hit in the 10th inning secured his 10th win of the season, making him the fourth Japanese player to achieve double-digit wins as a rookie in MLB and the first Mets rookie to do so since Rick Aguilera in 1985. He was also the second Japanese MLB pitcher to record 10 wins without meeting the innings requirement, following Shigetoshi Hasegawa in 2000.

For the 2010 season, Takahashi finished with an overall record of 10 wins, 6 losses, 8 saves, and 3 holds, with a 3.61 ERA. As a starter, he was 4-4 with a 5.01 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. As a reliever, he excelled with a 6-2 record, 8 saves, and a 2.04 ERA (ranking 9th in the league) and a 1.13 WHIP. His 10 wins were the second most among Japanese MLB players that year, only behind Hiroki Kuroda's 11 wins. Following the season, contract negotiations with the Mets fell through, and he was waived on November 5. He subsequently changed his agent to Arn Tellem.

3.2.2. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

On December 2, 2010, Hisanori Takahashi signed a two-year, 8.00 M USD contract with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He chose to wear uniform number 21, a number he cherished from his time with the Yomiuri Giants.

In 2011, Takahashi was exclusively used as a relief pitcher, appearing in various situations, including one-point assignments and multi-inning outings. He experienced fluctuating performance; in May, he struggled with a 0-1 record, a 6.30 ERA, and a 1.80 WHIP over 11 appearances. However, he rebounded in June, and by the All-Star break, he held a 2-2 record with a 3.62 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP across 36 appearances. On August 15, against the Texas Rangers, he achieved his 100th career MLB appearance. He maintained strong form in the second half, recording 2 wins, 1 loss, 2 saves, and a 3.23 ERA with a 1.07 WHIP over 25 appearances. For the entire season, he appeared in 61 games, the second most on the team, and effectively limited right-handed batters to a .206 batting average. Despite his overall success, his season was marked by periods of inconsistency, with ERAs exceeding 6.00 in May and August, but falling below 1.00 in June and September. Notably, he had strong performances against Japanese hitters, holding Ichiro, Hideki Matsui, and Tsuyoshi Nishioka all hitless in their respective plate appearances (though it was noted that Matsui had a strong record against Takahashi in Japanese exhibition games).

The 2012 season began with Takahashi again experiencing struggles in April, where he posted a 0-1 record, a 9.95 ERA, and a 1.89 WHIP over eight appearances. He recovered in May, with a 0-1 record, a 1.86 ERA, and a 0.93 WHIP in 10 appearances. By the All-Star break, he held a 0-2 record with a 4.15 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP through 28 games. On July 28, he was optioned to the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees to make room for newly acquired starting pitcher Zack Greinke. He was recalled on July 31 due to an injury to Scott Downs, but his struggles resurfaced in August, with a 0-1 record and a 7.71 ERA over eight appearances, leading to his re-demotion to the minor leagues on August 19.

3.2.3. Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, and Colorado Rockies

Following his time with the Angels, Hisanori Takahashi was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates in August 2012. He made nine appearances for the Pirates, posting an 8.64 ERA and a 1.68 WHIP. Despite the team missing the playoffs and enduring their 20th consecutive losing season, Takahashi maintained his effectiveness against Japanese batters, holding Ichiro, Munenori Kawasaki, and Nori Aoki all hitless in their respective at-bats. On October 31, 2012, the Pirates granted him an unconditional release. Takahashi expressed his strong desire to remain in the United States, stating, "This year was tough, but I enjoyed it. I tried to make myself known, and I made new friends. When I came to America, I was so worried I couldn't sleep. I can't go back easily. I want to stay here until I'm satisfied."

On December 27, 2012, he signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs, which included an invitation to spring training. Despite a lukewarm performance in spring training (a 4.42 ERA and 1.36 WHIP over nine appearances, two of them starts), he made the 25-man opening day roster as a relief pitcher. However, after just three appearances, allowing two earned runs in three innings, he was designated for assignment (DFA) on April 16, 2013, and removed from the 40-man roster. He was then assigned to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs on April 18.

On June 22, 2013, Takahashi was traded to the Colorado Rockies for a player to be named later. As part of a minor league contract, he was assigned to the Triple-A Colorado Springs Sky Sox. His performance continued to be inconsistent; in the first half, he appeared in seven games, recording a 1-0 record with an 11.70 ERA and a 3.00 WHIP. While he showed improvement in the second half, with a 0-1 record, a 3.45 ERA, and a 1.41 WHIP over 11 appearances, he never made it back to the major league level. Following the season, he elected to become a free agent, having posted a 6.66 ERA over 25.2 innings with the Sky Sox.