Attended Tokai University (Tokyo, Japan)...Drafted by Yomiuri in the first round of the 2012 Nippon Professional Baseball Draft, the same year that Shohei Ohtani was selected in the first round by Hokkaido...Was also picked in the first round by Hanshin in 2011, but did not sign...His uncle, Tatsunori Hara, played 15 seasons for Yomiuri from 1981-95 and won three Japan Series titles (1981, 89, & 94), was the 1983 Central League MVP, and the 1981 Central League Rookie of the Year; also coached for the Giants from 1999-01, and then manager from 2002-03, 2006-15 and 2019-23; Sugano played for him from 2014-15 and 2019-23...Hara also managed Team Japan to victory in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.
2025
Signed his first Major League contract with Baltimore during the offseason and made his Major League debut on March 30 at Toronto...In his debut start at 35 years, 170 days old, Sugano became the oldest Japanese player to make his MLB debut since the Mets’ Ken Takahashi (40-016) on May 2, 2009 at Philadelphia... Went 10-10 with a 4.64 ERA (157 IP, 81 ER), 36 walks and 106 strikeouts across 30 starts … led Baltimore pitchers in starts and ranked second in quality starts...Ranked among all qualified MLB rookies in starts (2nd), innings (second), wins (T-2nd) and strikeouts (10th)...Made five starts of at least seven innings, the most among all MLB rookies...Became the 10th Japanese-born rookie pitcher to record 10+ wins in a season...Became the fourth Japanese-born pitcher (eighth occurrence) to make 30+ starts at age 35 or older, joining Yu Darvish (2022, San Diego), Hisashi Iwakuma (2016, Seattle), and Hiroki Kuroda (5x, 2010-14, New York-AL, Los Angeles-NL)...Allowed two walks or fewer in each of his first 14 starts, the second-longest career-opening run by an Oriole starter (since 1954) behind Josh Towers (23 GS, 2001-02)...His 5.3 percent walk rate was the lowest by an Oriole rookie (min. 150.0 IP) in Baltimore history (since 1954) … walk rate also led all MLB rookies (min. 100 IP)...Tallied five Defensive Runs Saved, the most among Oriole pitchers and tied for seventh-most among all MLB pitchers...His 33 home runs allowed were the third-most in the Majors and the most by an Oriole rookie all-time … became one of four rookie pitchers in MLB since 1900 to allow at least 33 home runs alongside Tarik Skubal (2021, Detroit), Yusei Kikuchi (2019, Seattle) and Jerry Gavin (1977, Toronto).
2024
Spent the entire season with the Yomiuri Giants of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball's Central League...Went 15-3 with a 1.67 ERA (29 ER/156.2 IP), 132 hits (6 HR), 16 walks, four hit batters and 111 strikeouts in 24 games, all starts; tossed three complete games, including one shutout; led NPB in wins and finished second in ERA...Named Central League MVP for the third time in his career (2014 & 2020)...Earned a Mitsui Golden Glove Award for the fourth time (2016-18)...Struck out at least 100 batters for the 11th time in 12 professional seasons; his innings total was his highest since 2017 (187.1 IP); earned double-digit wins for the ninth time, and won at least 15 games for the third time...Surrendered four or fewer runs in all 24 starts, three or less in 23, and one or no runs in 17; tossed six scoreless outings, including his lone complete game shutout on July 28 vs. DeNa (9.0 IP, 7 H, 8 K)...Opened the season with a 20-inning scoreless streak; pitched two scoreless games (13.0 IP) to begin the year before allowing an eighth-inning run on April 18 at Hanshin...Won seven of eight starts from July 21 to Sept. 10, including four straight from July 21 to Aug. 11...Posted a 1.16 ERA (10 ER/77.1 IP) in his final 11 games beginning July 21...Left-handers hit .226 (72-for-318) with two home runs and five walks; righties batted .222 (60-for-270) with four home runs and 11 walks...Opponents hit .185 (38-for-205) with eight walks and one hit-by-pitch the first time through the order and did not homer in their first at bat...Helped the Giants secure a bye to the Final Stage of the 2024 Climax Series, NPB's playoff format, with the best record in the Central League (77-59-7); suffered two defeats in the series as Yomiuri was eliminated against DeNa; took the loss in Game 2 after allowing two runs on six hits and one walk with five strikeouts in 7.0 innings; entered in the ninth inning of a tie game in winner-take-all Game 7 and surrendered one run on two hits.
2023
Went 4-8 with a 3.36 ERA (29 ER/77.2 IP) in 14 games, all starts...Missed the start of the season due to a right elbow injury...Made two appearances with Yomiuri's farm team in the Eastern League to open his season beginning May 28, allowing one run in 8.1 innings...Made his Central League season debut on June 11 at SoftBank (W: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 4 K)...Posted a 1.44 ERA (4 ER/25.0 IP) in his first four starts of the year, including 7.0 scoreless innings on July 8 vs. DeNa...Allowed a season-high six runs while recording one out on July 17 at Yakult (5 H, 2 HR)...Threw under 115 innings for the only time in his career and did not strike out at least 100 batters for the only time in his career.
2022
Was 10-7 with a 3.12 ERA (51 ER/147.0 IP) in 23 games, all starts...Posted five scoreless outings, including two of 8.0 innings (6/2 vs. SoftBank & 8/23 vs. Chunichi) and two others of seven innings (6/17 at Chunichi & 7/2 at Hiroshima)...Surrendered seven runs twice (6/24 at Yakult & 7/18 vs. Yakult)...Made one start for the farm club in the Eastern League on Aug. 11 (2.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 HR, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 1 K).
2021
Went 6-7 with a 3.19 ERA (41 ER/115.2 IP) and 102 strikeouts in 19 games, all starts...Missed a month in early May...Did not pitch with the main team from July 2 to Aug. 25 due to the All-Star break and 2020 Olympics...Made his first career appearance for the farm team on Aug. 19 (4.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K)... Started Game 1 of the First Stage on Nov. 6 at Hanshin (W: 7.0 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 4 K) and Game 2 of the Final Stage on Nov. 11 at Yakult (5.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 BB, 6 K).
2020
Was 14-2 with a 1.97 ERA (30 ER/137.1 IP) with 131 strikeouts in 20 starts; led the Central League in wins for the third time...Named Central League MVP for the second time...Threw three complete games, all shutouts - July 3 vs. Chunichi (9.0 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 11 K), July 21 at Chunichi (9.0 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 11 K) and Aug. 18 vs. Hanshin (9.0 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 7 K); did not allow the hit on July 3, until a one-out double in the seventh inning... Surrendered seven runs in 12.2 innings (4.97 ERA) in his first two starts through June 26, but posted a 1.66 ERA (23 ER/124.2 IP) in his final 18 outings and did not allow more than three runs in any of those games...Started Game 1 of the Japan Series on Nov. 21 vs. SoftBank (L: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 1 HBP, 4 K); pitched opposite Kodai Senga.
2019
Went 11-6 with a 3.89 ERA (59 ER/136.1 IP) with 120 strikeouts in 22 games, all starts; marked the highest ERA of his career...Tossed three complete games, including one shutout...Posted a 1.57 ERA (4 ER/23.0 IP) in his first three starts through April 12, including a complete game on April 5 at DeNa (9.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 HR, 1 BB, 8 K)... Surrendered a career-high 12 hits on April 25 at Yakult; had three games allowing 11+ hits, more than his entire career combined...Allowed 10 runs for the first and only time in his career on May 15 vs. Hanshin...Did not pitch in the Final Stage against Hanshin...Started Game 4 of the Japan Series on October 23 vs. SoftBank (L: 6.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 8 K); started opposite former Orioles farmhand Tsuyoshi Wada.
2018
Was 15-8 with a 2.14 ERA (48 ER/202.0 IP) with a career-high 200 strikeouts in 28 games (27 GS); won the NPB Triple Crown after leading the entire league in ERA, strikeouts, and wins (tied)...Won his second straight Eiji Sawamura Award, the highest pitching honor in NPB...Earned a Mitsui Golden Glove Award for the third straight season...Tossed a career-high 10 complete games, including a career-best eight shutouts...After allowing five runs in each of his first two starts of the year, pitched at least eight innings in his next five starts from April 13 to May 11; posted a 0.63 ERA (3 ER/43.0 IP) in that stretch...Finished the season with a career-long 32-inning scoreless streak...Pitched a no-hitter in Game 2 of the First Stage on Oct. 14 at Yakult; retired the first 20 batters of the game before issuing a two-out walk in the seventh inning, his only baserunner allowed in the game...Did not pitch in the Final Stage against Hiroshima
2017
Made three starts in the World Baseball Classic with Japan, posting a 3.14 ERA (5 ER/14.1 IP) with 16 strikeouts in three starts; tied with teammate Kodai Senga for the tournament lead in strikeouts...Started the semifinal game against the United States on March 21 at Dodger Stadium; allowed one unearned run on three hits and a walk with six strikeouts in six innings, but Japan was eliminated with a 2-1 loss...Went 17-5 with a 1.59 ERA (33 ER/187.1 IP) and 171 strikeouts in 25 games, all starts; led the Central League in wins and ERA...Won his first career Eiji Sawamura Award...Won a Mitsui Golden Glove Award for the second straight season...Worked three straight shutouts on April 18 vs. Yakult (9.0 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 5 K), April 25 at Hiroshima Toyo (9.0 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 7 K), and May 2 vs. DeNa (9.0 IP, 5 H, 9 K)...Pitched to a 0.60 ERA (6 ER/89.2 IP) in his final 12 games of the year...Completed seven innings in 20 games.
2016
Went 9-6 with a 2.01 ERA (41 ER/183.1 IP) and 189 strikeouts in 26 games, all starts; led the Central League in ERA and strikeouts...Won a Mitsui Golden Glove Award for the first time in his career...Threw consecutive shutouts on April 6 vs. Hanshin (9.0 IP, 6 H, 8 K) and April 13 at Yakult (9.0 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 7 K)...Followed that with seven scoreless innings on April 22 vs. DeNa...Had a 30.0-inning scoreless streak from March 31-April 28...Posted a 0.88 ERA (10 ER/102.0 IP) in his first 13 starts through June 17; allowed nine runs in 2.1 innings in his next start on June 24 at DeNa...Threw at least 7.0 innings in 19 starts...Did not pitch in the First Stage.
2015
Was 10-11 with a 1.91 ERA (38 ER/179.0 IP) in 25 games, all starts; finished second in the Central League in ERA...Pitched six complete games and two shutouts...Worked his first career shutout on May 19 at Hanshin (9.0 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 3 K)...Pitched a complete game in his next start on May 26 vs. Saitama Seibu (9.0 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 HBP, 9 K)...Tossed another shutout on July 5 at Chunichi (9.0 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 5 K)...Threw back-to-back complete games on Aug. 13 vs. DeNa (L: 9.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 HR, 2 BB, 1 IBB, 8 K) and Aug. 20 vs. Hanshin (9.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 HR, 2 BB, 1 IBB, 8 K)...Pitched at least seven innings in 19 starts...Started on his 26th birthday in Game 2 of the First Stage on Oct. 11 vs. Hanshin (L: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 5 K)...Started Game 3 of the Final Stage on Oct. 16 at Yakult (L: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 3 K).
2014
Won his first Central League MVP after going 12-5 with a 2.33 ERA (41 ER/158.2 IP) in 23 games, all starts; led the Central League in ERA...Pitched eight scoreless innings on four hits and two walks with six strikeouts in his second start on April 4 at Chunichi...Won his first three games and six of his first seven appearances through May 5...Tossed three complete games, including in back-to-back starts on April 22 vs. DeNa (9.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K) and April 29 vs. Yakult (9.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 HR, 6 K)...Worked six scoreless outings, eight of one run and two of two runs...Pitched at least 7.0 innings in 16 starts...Allowed a career-high 10 hits on July 1 at Hiroshima Toyo...Did not pitch in the Final Stage series against Hanshin.
2013
Finished 13-6 with a 3.12 ERA (61 ER/176.0 IP) in 27 games (26 starts) in his first professional season...Tossed one complete game...Made his playoff debut in Game 2 of the Final Stage against Hiroshima and fired a three-hit shutout with one walk and 11 strikeouts on Oct. 17; started opposite Kenta Maeda...Pitched twice in the Japan Series against Rakuten: Game 2 on Oct. 27 (L: 5.1 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K) and Game 6 on Nov. 2 (W: 7.0, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 K); started opposite Masahiro Tanaka, the Pacific League MVP, in both games...Was named the Central League Climax Series MVP, presented to the top playoff performer in each league.
