Nao Higashihama was watching on a TV in the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks’ weight room Wednesday morning, when the Los Angeles Angels’ Reid Detmers threw his first career no-hitter (on Tuesday night in Anaheim, California, accounting for the time difference between the U.S. and Japan). Little did he know, he was only several hours away from joining the club himself.
Higashihama pitched the best game of his career on Wednesday night against the Seibu Lions and added his name to the NPB record books with the first no-hitter of his career in a 2-0 win at PayPay Dome in Fukuoka.
“I still can’t believe it,” he said after the game.