is a professional Japanese baseball player. He plays pitcher for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.
In the sixth grade, after being selected for the Chiba Lotte Marines Junior Team, he helped lead the squad to victory in the NPB 12-Team Junior Tournament.
During his time at Onuki Junior High School in Futtsu City, while playing for the Chiba City Little Senior team, he was selected for the U-15 Japan National Team alongside players such as . In his third year of junior high school, he won the high jump event at the Junior Olympics in track and field and took second place at the All Japan Junior High School Athletics Championships. Yà «ya Gunji was a year ahead of him on the Little Senior team.
During the 2016 NPB Draft, he received a sole first-round nomination from the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles and joined the team with a signing bonus of 100 million yen and an annual salary of 15 million yen (figures are estimated). He was assigned jersey number 19âÂÂa number that had remained vacant since 2009, following the retirement of manager Katsuya Nomura. At his introductory press conference, he expressed his aspiration: "I intend to play with determination, striving to become a core player for this team".
Although Fujihira began spring training in the 2017 season with the first team, he was reassigned to the second team for conditioning starting February 12, when the squad embarked on a road trip focused primarily on game play.
In the Eastern League, he made 11 appearances, posting a 1âÂÂ2 record with a 3.35 ERA, and recorded 58 strikeouts over 51 innings pitched, and made his professional debut and first career start in the game against the Hanshin Tigers on June 16. His line for the game was: 5 innings pitched, 5 hits, 2 walks/hit-by-pitches, 0 strikeouts, and 2 runs allowed, and he suffered his fisrt professional loss. He was removed from the active roster the following day, on the 17th.
At the minor league level, he was selected for the Fresh All-Star Game held on July 13, pitching as the second reliever for the Eastern League All-Stars, he delivered a strong performance, retiring the side in orderâÂÂincluding two strikeoutsâÂÂover one inning and received the Outstanding Player Award.
On August 6, he made his second start with the first team in a game against the Chiba Lotte Marines. He pitched well, allowing just two runs over six innings, but received no run support from the lineup and was charged with the loss and delisted the following day, on the 7th.
When he started against Lotte on August 22, he pitched five innings, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out seven and surrendering no runs to earn his first professional victory, although he was removed from the player roster the following day, the 23rd. He started in the game against the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters on September 5th. where he joined the starting rotation late in the season.
In his rookie year, he made eight starts for the first team, recording a 3âÂÂ4 record and a 2.28 ERA. In addition, he recorded 3 wins and 4 losses with an ERA of 2.96 in 17 appearances in the minor leagues. He received the Eastern League Outstanding Player Award.
He was on standby as a relief pitcher during the postseason. He took the mound in Game 5 of the CS Final Stage against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, holding them to just one run over 2-2/3 innings.
During the offseason, he renewed his contract for an estimated annual salary of 18 million yenâÂÂa raise of 3 million yen.
Fujihira made the starting rotation at the beginning of the 2018 season and in his first three starts of the season, he posted a record of 1-1 with an ERA of 1.47.
However, in the following two matches they conceded five or more runs.
In the subsequent game against the Orix Buffaloes on May 13th, he faced bases-loaded situations in three consecutive innings. He left the game after pitching three innings, allowing four hits, five walks and hit-by-pitches, and one run. He was removed from the active roster the following day, the 14th.
He continued his rehabilitation in the minor leagues thereafter; however, on August 9âÂÂduring a game against Nippon-HamâÂÂhe took the mound after Manabu Mima was forced to sit out due to right elbow pain. Stepping in as a substitute starter, he delivered seven scoreless innings to earn the win.
He secured a spot in the Opening Day rotation in the 2019 season for the second consecutive year, and took the mound in the third game of the opening series against Lotte. Making his season debut and first start, he was pulled from the game after pitching 2 1/3 inningsâÂÂrequiring 72 pitchesâÂÂin a shaky outing that saw him surrender 4 hits, 4 walks/hit-by-pitches, and 3 runs.
In the subsequent game against Orix on April 7, he required 40 pitches to get through two innings before being pulled from the game, having allowed one hit, two walks, and one run. He was removed from the active roster the following day, on the 8th.
In the minor leagues, he worked on correcting his pitching form; appearing in 13 games in the Eastern League, he posted a record of 5 wins and 2 losses with an ERA of 2.88.
He was given an opportunity to start for the first team in the game against Lotte on August 5th, butâÂÂpartly due to poor defensive support from his teammates he took the loss after allowing 6 runs over 4 1/3 innings. He was removed from the player roster the following day, the 6th. He made no further appearances with the first team; his season ultimately concluded with a record of 0 wins and 1 loss across three games, posting an ERA of 10.38. However, in the minor leagues, he reached the required number of innings pitched, posting a record of 9 wins and 2 losses with a 2.91 ERA over 19 appearances, recording the best winning percentage in the Eastern League at .818 and he won the title for the highest winning percentage.
He renewed his contract during the off-season for an estimated annual salary of 15 million yenâÂÂa reduction of 3 million yen.
Due to the impact of the novel coronavirus, the 2020 season was shortened to a 120-game schedule and the Opening Day postponed until June 19; however, for the first time in three years, Fujihira began the season assigned to the minor league team. In the Eastern League, he made three appearances, recording a 1âÂÂ0 record and a 3.46 ERA.
On July 26, he made his season debutâÂÂand first startâÂÂagainst the Orix Buffaloes; however, in the first inning with no outs and a runner on second base, he hit in the head with a pitch and was ejected for throwing a "dangerous pitch" after throwing a mere seven pitches. He was removed from the player roster the following day, the 27th. Subsequently, he stepped away from official game appearances, making his return to the mound in a minor league game on September 4thâÂÂhis first official game appearance in approximately one month. Including this game, he has continued to make appearances consisting of short innings. The first time he pitched five innings following his removal from the active roster was in a minor league game on October 22.
His major league appearances for the year were limited to the single game mentioned previously; during the offseason, he renewed his contract for an estimated annual salary of 12 million yenâÂÂa reduction of 3 million yen.
Fujihira began the 2021 season with the minor league team; in the Eastern League, he posted a record of 0 wins and 5 losses with an ERA of 9.15 across his first six starts. Struggling to find his form, he stepped away from official game appearances following his outing on May 25.
On June 30, he made his first official game appearance in approximately one month, pitching in relief during a minor league game. He continued to be used as a relief pitcher, and improved his ERA to 6.91.
Although he made a starting appearance in the minor league game on September 14, he gave up four runs over three innings and was charged with the loss.
That year, even in the minor leagues, he finished with a record of 0 wins and 6 losses across 18 appearances, posting an ERA of 7.16.
"For the first time since turning pro, I have not made any appearances in the first team." During the offseason, his jersey number was changed to 46.
During contract renewal negotiations on November 30, he signed for an estimated annual salary of 10 million yenâÂÂa reduction of 2 million yen.
Although Fujihira started spring training in the 2022 season with the minor league team, he joined the first team on March 8th.
In exhibition games, he pitched a total of four innings across four appearances, holding opponents to three hits, no walks or hit-by-pitches, three strikeouts, and one earned run and made the Opening Day roster as a relief pitcher.
He had recorded an ERA of 3.00 in his first three appearances at the start of the season. He was removed from the active roster on April 18.
Fujihira continued to be utilized as a reliever in the minor leagues through May and made a starting appearance in the minor league game on June 1st. Including that game, he recorded 2 wins and 0 losses with an ERA of 3.79 in 4 starts.
He made his first start of the season in the game against Lotte on July 18, pitching four innings and allowing one run, but received no decision. He was removed from the player roster the following day, the 22nd.
He started the game against Orix on September 1st but was pulled in the middle of the third inning after allowing four runs (three earned runs). He was reassigned the following day. He made no further appearances with the first team and recorded a 1âÂÂ0 record and a 3.97 ERA in eight games (five starts) that year.
During the offseason, he renewed his contract at an estimated annual salary of 10 million yenâÂÂmaintaining his current pay level.
Before the 2023 season, Fujihira continued to make his case throughout spring training and the exhibition games, earning a spot in the opening day rotation for the first time in five years. The third game of the opening series against Nippon-Ham was his first appearance and first start of the season, he pitched six innings, allowing just one run, and earned his first win of the season.
During a period of irregular schedules with five games each week, the starting appearance of Takayuki Kishi was scheduled though his preparation had been lagging. Due to team circumstances, Fujihira was removed from the active roster the following day, April 3. After that, he was promoted and demoted three times. He finished with a record of 2 wins and 4 losses with an ERA of 4.44 in 11 starts.
At the conclusion of the season, new manager approached Fujihira about transitioning to a relief role. Imae later explained his reasoning, stating that "[Fujihira] is a stoic player." "He revealed, 'His inquisitive nature is so intense that he ended up overthinking things far too much during the week. I came to feelâÂÂand thought it might suit him betterâÂÂthat he would be better off pitching in games every day as a middle reliever, constantly keeping his hand on the ball.'"
Fujihara renewed his contract during the off-season for an estimated annual salary of 14.5 million yenâÂÂan increase of 4.5 million yen.
Fujihira started the 2024 season in the first team as a relief pitcher. He recorded his first career hold in the game against Orix on April 11.
However, he was forced to leave the game in an emergency during the game against Orix on May 8th, and was removed from the active roster the following day, May 9th. On May 11, he was diagnosed with a Grade 2 injury to the left internal oblique muscle at a hospital in Sendai.
He returned to minor league action on June 8. He made his return to the first team on the 25th of the same month. Acknowledging that he had overexerted himself since spring training, Fujihara said: "My desire to catch up with those around me was so strong that I ended up overworking myself," and has subsequently adjusted his training regimen.
Fujihira established a winning pattern in the second half of the season. In the game against Nippon-Ham on October 8, he was entrusted with the top of the ninth inning holding a two-run lead; he retired the side in orderâÂÂincluding two strikeoutsâÂÂto earn the first save of his professional career.
This was his breakout season, appearing in 47 games with a record of 0 wins, 1 loss, 20 holds, 1 save, and an ERA of 1.75.
He renewed his contract during the offseason for an estimated annual salary of 40 million yenâÂÂan increase of 25.5 million yen.
Fujihara started the 2025 season, deployed in a high-leverage situation.
The team's closer, Takahiro Norimoto, has successfully converted all five of his save opportunities since Opening Day; however, he has suffered two blown saves in tie situations.
Fujihira took over as closer from late April.ãÂÂIn the game against SoftBank on April 27, he took the mound in the top of the ninth inning with a one-run lead, only to surrender a game-tying solo home run to the leadoff batter, Tatsuru Yanagimachi.
In the subsequent game against Seibu on May 1st, he took the mound in the bottom of the 9th inning with the score tied. In the bottom of the 10thâÂÂhaving carried over into the next inningâÂÂhe allowed a right-field single with no outs and a runner on second base. The throw from Yuya Ogo, who fielded the ball, went awry, and the ball rolled toward the area in front of the third-base dugout; however, FujihiraâÂÂwho should have been moving in to provide backupâÂÂhad taken his eyes off the ball, allowing the runner who had stopped at third base to score the winning run, resulting in a walk-off loss.
He has appeared in 11 games since Opening Day, posting a record of 0 wins, 1 loss, 5 holds, and 2 saves, with an ERA of 3.72. Consequently, he was removed from the active roster the following day, on the 2nd.
Upon being recalled on May 13, he gradually regained his form as a set-up man. Beginning with his appearance against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks on July 11, he went on a streak of scoreless outings; starting in August, he replaced Takahiro Norimoto and was established as the team's closer. Ultimately recording 12 saves, he finished the season having allowed zero runsâÂÂboth earned and unearnedâÂÂin the second half, while maintaining a club-record streak of 29 consecutive scoreless appearances.
During the offseason, he was called up to the Japan national team roster for the against South Korea.
On February 11, 2026 six preliminary roster members for Samurai JapanâÂÂwho will compete in the 2026 World Baseball ClassicâÂÂwere announced, and Fujihira was among them. On the same day, roster member Kaima Taira withdrew due to a calf strain, and Fujihira was called up as his replacement.
His primary pitches are a forkball and a fast ball with a speed of 156 km/h
In the 2024 season, he had a strikeout percentage of 31.9%, ranking second in the league among pitchers who threw at least 30 innings. For the seven seasons after turning pro, he was expected to be a pillar of the starting rotation, and had 45 appearances (42 starts), 10 wins and 16 losses with a 4.27 ERA.
His primary pitches are the forkball, slider, and curveball, which he has thrown since high school.
He has added a changeup, a shuuto pitch a cut fastball But despite continuing to engage in a process of trial and errorâÂÂsuch as working on new pitches, repeatedly making minor adjustments to his delivery, and even reducing the frequency with which he touched the rosin bag to quicken his pitching tempoâÂÂhe was unable to achieve the desired results as a starting pitcher.
On October 9, 2024, it was announced that he had been selected to the Japan national team for the 2024 WBSC Premier12.
During the tournament, he made the most appearances on the team, pitching in six games. He delivered a standout performance across a total of six innings, recording a 0-0 record with one save, a 0.00 ERA, allowing just four hits, and striking out 12 batters.