Kenshin Kawakami

Born: 6/22/1975 in Tokushima, Tokushima, Japan

MLB Debut: 2009-04-11 | Final Game: 2010-09-09

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 200 lbs

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Biography

Kenshin Kawakami, born in 1975, was a Japanese professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2009 to 2010. Before his tenure in the MLB, Kawakami established himself as a prominent player in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), where he showcased his skills as a reliable starter. Upon joining the Atlanta Braves, he became part of a wave of Japanese talent entering the league during a period when MLB was increasingly looking to Japan for skilled players. Throughout his MLB career, Kawakami recorded a win-loss record of 8-22 and maintained an earned run average (ERA) of 4.32 over his time on the mound. He struck out 164 batters and achieved one save, demonstrating his ability to contribute both as a starter and in relief roles. Although his MLB career was brief, Kawakami's presence marked a continuation of the growing influence of Japanese pitchers in baseball, bridging the gap between NPB and MLB and paving the way for future generations of international players.

Career Pitching Statistics

W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA	Pitcher PIV
8	22	50	41	0	0	1	243.7	251	117	25	89	164	4.32	0

Career ERA 4.32 vs. league average 4.20 across their career seasons — near league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year	Team	Lg	W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	BB	SO	ERA	Lg ERA	Pitcher PIV
2009	ATL	NL	7	12	32	25	0	0	1	156.3	153	67	57	105	3.86	4.32 (+11%)	450.5
2010	ATL	NL	1	10	18	16	0	0	0	87.3	98	50	32	59	5.15	4.08 (-26%)	-600.6

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
52	65	2	7	1	0	0	1	0	6	22	0.108	0.183	0.123	0.306	0.0

Career AVG .108 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — 58.6% below league average.

Career OBP .183 vs. league average .329 across their career seasons — 44.4% below league average.

Career SLG .123 vs. league average .410 across their career seasons — 70.0% below league average.

Career OPS 0.306 vs. league average 0.740 across their career seasons — 58.6% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year	Team	Lg	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	Lg AVG	Lg OBP	Lg SLG	Lg OPS	PIV
2009	ATL	NL	34	41	0	4	0	0	0	0	0	3	13	0.098	—	—	—	—	0.0
2010	ATL	NL	18	24	2	3	1	0	0	1	0	3	9	0.125	—	—	—	—	0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
P	50	41	15	39	4	3

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
2009	ATL	P	32	25	13	28	1	3
2010	ATL	P	18	16	2	11	3	0

Career Games by Position

Position	Games
Pitcher	50

Salary History

Year	Team	League	Salary
2010	ATL	NL	$7,333,666
2009	ATL	NL	$8,333,666
Total Career Earnings			$15,667,332