Ogasawara Struggles in Nationals MLB Debut

Shinnosuke Ogasawara made his major league debut for the Washington Nationals on Sunday, starting in place of the injured Trevor Williams against the Boston Red Sox. Ogasawara, the first Japanese player signed directly by the Nationals, allowed four runs on seven hits—including a two-run homer by Trevor Story—in 2.2 innings during a loss. He notched his first MLB strikeout against Romy Gonzalez but struggled to contain the Red Sox lineup. Ogasawara had missed most of the season with an oblique injury and posted a 4.80 ERA in three rehab starts at Triple-A Rochester prior to his promotion. He is expected to remain in the Nationals’ rotation through the All-Star break while Williams recovers. The team’s limited pitching options contributed to Ogasawara receiving his early MLB opportunity.