FILE - Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Hideo Nomo delivers a pitch to Colorado Rockies batter Ellis Burks on the way to striking him out and notching a no-hit performance in the Dodgers' 9-0 victory in Denver's Coors Field late on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 1996. With full respect to Masanori Murakami, who played briefly with the San Fransisco Giants in 1964-65, Japan's odyssey in the Majors began with pitcher Hideki Nomo, the National League Rookie of the Year after joining the Dodgers in 1995. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
FILE - Fans hold a sign while cheering for Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Hideo Nomo as he pitches against the Chicago Cubs Tuesday, Aug. 15, 1995, in Los Angeles. Nomo won his 10th game of the season by defeating the Cubs 7-5. With full respect to Masanori Murakami, who played briefly with the San Fransisco Giants in 1964-65, Japan's odyssey in the Majors began with pitcher Hideki Nomo, the National League Rookie of the Year after joining the Dodgers in 1995. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian, File)
FILE - Former San Francisco Giants pitcher Masanori Murakami, the first Japanese major leaguer, throws the ceremonial first pitch before a pre-season exhibition baseball game between the Oakland Athletics and the Nippon Ham Fighters at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Sunday, March 17, 2019. With full respect to Masanori Murakami, who played briefly with the San Fransisco Giants in 1964-65, Japan's odyssey in the Majors began with pitcher Hideki Nomo, the National League Rookie of the Year after joining the Dodgers in 1995. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)
Los Angeles Dodgers' designated hitter Shohei Ohtani , left, and pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto , right, applaud in the first inning of the exhibition game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Kiwoom Heroes at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, March 17, 2024. The Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres will meet in a two-game series on March 20th-21st in Seoul for the MLB World Tour Seoul Series. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-Joon)
FILE - New York Yankees' Ichiro Suzuki douses the team photographer as teammates celebrate in the clubhouse after their 14-2 win over the Boston Red Sox in a baseball game that clinched the American League East title at Yankee Stadium in New York, Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2012. About a dozen Japanese players will play in MLB this season, adding to a list has reached about 70 since Masanori Murakami in 1964-65. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)
FILE - Seattle Mariners right fielder Ichiro Suzuki, of Japan makes a leaping catch at the wall to rob Cleveland Indians' Carlos Santana of a hit in the fourth inning of a baseball game Thursday, May 17, 2012, in Cleveland. About a dozen Japanese players will play in MLB this season, adding to a list has reached about 70 since Masanori Murakami in 1964-65. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan, FIle)
Los Angeles Dodgers' designated hitter Shohei Ohtani , right, and pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, left, chat prior to the exhibition game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Kiwoom Heroes at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, March 17, 2024. The Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres will meet in a two-game series on March 20th-21st in Seoul for the MLB World Tour Seoul Series. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-Joon)