By the numbers: D-backs’ Yoshi Hirano’s scoreless appearance streak

A battle for the closer position raged through spring training.

As Diamondbacks fans watched Brad Boxberger win the role and Archie Bradley returned to his eighth-inning spot, they were left to wonder: who’s Yoshihisa Hirano, and how did he stay in the mix throughout March?

The Japanese relief pitcher has shown us why.

Hirano has gone 22 consecutive appearances without allowing a run. He’s played a vital role in what has become the most dominant bullpen in the major leagues so far this season.

Here are some numbers to tel the story from May 6 through June 25:

1

Hirano has allowed one extra-base hit since the streak began on May 6. The hit, which occurred June 8, was a leadoff double. Hirano struck out the next batter, walked the third and then induced an inning-ending double play.

The double-play ball has become a constant for him this season — but more on that later.

2.00

Hirano doesn’t rely on the Ks — his walk-to-strikeout in June is 2.00, a low number. This month especially, he has been forcing batters to hit the ball toward the ground with his fastball-splitter combination.

His 71.4 percent ground-ball ratio since May 25 is tied for third-best in the league, according to FanGraphs. This has helped him limit his pitch count. Hirano has thrown more than 20 pitches in only one outing this month and forced four hitters to ground into double plays in June (we’ll have even more on double plays later!)

5

Hirano’s streak of 22 consecutive scoreless outings is the fifth-most by a Japanese-born pitcher, according to Elias Sports Bureau.

Former Boston Red Sox closer Koji Uehara went 22 straight appearances from September 2012 to April 2013, then promptly started a 27-inning streak three months later.

The other two are former Seattle Mariners pitcher Shigetoshi Hasegawa, who threw 25 straight in 2003, and former Chicago White Sox pitcher Shingo Takatsu, who threw 24 in a row in 2004.

8

Hirano has forced eight batters to ground into double plays this season, which is tied for the most among relievers in the National League. Six of them have come since the streak began.

In fact, Hirano only has six games during this stretch in which he allowed a baserunner but did not get a double play, excluding the three games in which he only needed one out.

11

You can choose which this number refers to: Hirano has allowed just 11 hits in his 22 scoreless appearances.

He’s also gone 11 games without allowing a hit during that span.

24

The D-backs relief pitcher record for consecutive scoreless outings.

This has been accomplished twice.

After Jose Valverde left the D-backs before the 2008 season, Arizona needed a new closer. They turned to Brandon Lyon. He initially gave the team hope by going 24 straight scoreless innings from April 9 to June 12, 2008. During that span, he accumulated 13 saves, which would be half his total the entire season.

The D-backs then transitioned to Chad Qualls and J.C. Gutierrez before finding a reliable closer in J.J. Putz.

Putz was dominant from 2011-2012, totaling a 2.48 ERA and 77 saves between those two seasons.

His most masterful work came between June 23 to Aug. 31, 2012, when he went 24 consecutive appearances without allowing a run.

Hirano is two appearances away from tying that.

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