Chunichi’s Hideaki Wakui: “I’m determined to stay active until my 50s.” He has racked up a career total of 170 wins!

Chunichi’s Hideaki Wakui (40) looks back on the game in which he achieved a feat that only two others in history have accomplished. Wakui started against Hiroshima on July 11, allowing just one run over six innings to earn his first win of the season.His 22 consecutive seasons with at least one win since his rookie year is a remarkable feat, second only to former Hankyu player Tetsuya Yoneda and Yakult’s Masanori Ishikawa.

[Click here for Part 1] Chunichi’s Hideaki Wakui: “The Words from Daisuke Matsuzaka That Made Me Resolve to Do It” – 22 Consecutive Seasons with a Win Since His Rookie Year!

“They changed how they used me, didn’t they?”

“In 2009, I was thrilled to win the Sawamura Award (a special award for the most outstanding starting pitcher who throws complete games that year) after holding Darvish in check. Darvish, who was the same age as me, had won the Sawamura Award in 2007, so I’d always thought, ‘Someday, I’ll win it too.’At the time, Darvish was watching my games and noticed the subtle changes, saying, ‘You’ve changed the way you use your right arm, haven’t you?’ He’d strike up a conversation with me whenever he had the chance. I was impressed—thinking, ‘He really pays close attention’—and at the same time, I learned a lot from him, such as how to move my body more efficiently.”

Wakui’s fastball averages around 140 km/h, which isn’t particularly fast. However, batters seem to sense a sharpness that exceeds its speed.

“What I look for in my fastball is the power to accelerate right at the batter’s hands. The first time I threw a pitch exactly as I’d envisioned was during a preseason game against the Giants at Tokyo Dome in March 2020. When I threw two fastballs in a row to Yoshihiro Maru, he swung and missed in a way he usually doesn’t.
He was caught off guard by a pitch with a firm grip on my fingers, and I think Maru also sensed a sharpness that exceeded the pitch’s speed. He had a look of surprise on his face, as if to say, ‘Whoa.’ Although the number of games was limited that year due to the spread of COVID-19, I finished with an 11-4 record and won my fourth title as the league’s leading winner (my first since ’15).”

After playing for the Seibu Lions, the Chiba Lotte Marines, and the Rakuten Eagles, this season marks his 22nd year with the Chunichi Dragons. Perhaps the accumulated fatigue from so many years of pitching was taking its toll.He began the season on the farm team. When he was promoted to the first team on July 4 for a game against the Giants, he didn’t get the win but pitched well, allowing just one run over seven innings, and finally secured a spot in the starting rotation. The 22nd consecutive win I mentioned at the beginning came in his next start, against the Hiroshima Carp.

“I did feel a sense of frustration—seeing other pitchers win while I couldn’t. But I don’t have the luxury of getting down on myself. I still maintain a rigorous running regimen. I can’t take it easy. (With my first win of the season,) it finally feels like this year has truly begun.I’m confident I can still pitch. I’m determined to stay active until I’m in my 50s.”

Wakui, who started against the Hanshin Tigers on August 26, pitched six scoreless innings to earn his fourth win of the season. With this victory, his career total stands at 170 wins—tying his senior, Daisuke Matsuzaka. It looks like the record will continue to be extended.

From the September 25, 2026 issue of *FRIDAY*