Japanese right-hander Naoyuki Uwasawa is on track for his Major League Baseball debut after the Boston Red Sox recalled him from the minors on Sunday.
The 30-year-old pitched for Triple-A Worcester following his March 27 trade to Boston from the Tampa Bay Rays, who initially signed him to a minor league deal after his posting by the Nippon Ham Fighters.
He spent spring training with the Rays but exercised an option in his contract to seek a major league deal elsewhere after being told he would not make Tampa Bay's MLB roster.
Uwasawa told MLB.com he was "beyond excited to be here" after arriving at Fenway Park for Boston's game against the visiting Chicago Cubs on Sunday.
"I know that this stadium has a lot of history. And when I stepped in it, I really felt special things," Uwasawa said.
A starter throughout his nine seasons with the Hokkaido-based Fighters in the Pacific League, Uwasawa has been called up to strengthen the Red Sox bullpen as a reliever. He went 2-1 with a 4.80 ERA in three Triple-A games.
Uwasawa becomes the latest in a line of Japanese players to have donned the Red Sox uniform, including current designated hitter and outfielder Masataka Yoshida.
