In this episode of Pacific Swings, we sit down with right-handed pitcher Tyler Beede, who made history in 2023 as the first non-Japanese pitcher in his first year to start Opening Day for the Yomiuri Giants. Known as the Yankees of Japan, the Giants demand excellence at every level – from mandatory designer suits to elite performance on the mound.

The Historic Opening Day

Tyler’s journey to the mound at Tokyo Dome on Opening Day 2023 was anything but expected. When ace Tomoyuki Sugano (now with the Baltimore Orioles) got injured and Shosei Togo was unavailable due to World Baseball Classic commitments, the opportunity fell to either Tyler or Foster Griffin. “It was a whirlwind of a week,” Tyler recalls. “I think because of the experience that I’ve had pitching in the big leagues, I think it just gave me a little bit of an edge for that spot.”

The ceremony itself was unlike anything he’d experienced: “I couldn’t warm up on the field before the game because the lights were off. There’s so much going on – laser shows, light shows, people coming in on a zip line over center field. They did it up. The honor of it is still kind of awe. It gives me moments of awe throughout when I think about it.”

The Pressure and Expectations

Playing for the Giants means immediate expectations of dominance. Tyler learned this lesson quickly when, despite a 2.90 ERA and leading the league in swing-and-miss rate, he was sent down to the farm team after starting 0-4 in his first five starts.

“The expectation was that you were going to have the best year of your career or be one of the best pitchers in the league”, Tyler explains. “They care about the wins and losses of the pitcher’s record more than ERA because of the optics of it.”

The pressure extends beyond individual performance to the broader expectations of foreign players in NPB. “They bring you over, they pay you a lot of money, and they expect that you are going to be the best player in the league”, Tyler notes. “To adjust to people you’ve never seen before and be able to be the greatest of all time against pitching and hitters you haven’t faced before is very difficult.”

Japanese Hitting: A Different Challenge

One of the biggest adjustments for Tyler was facing Japanese hitters, whose approach differs significantly from their American counterparts. “Their swing and preparation – you watch their training on Instagram and social media – it’s all about hand-eye coordination and the ability to hit at different angles and positions of their body so they’re never in a spot where they can’t at least foul the ball off.”

“I faced guys who their sole purpose of being in the lineup was to foul balls off. You’ll see guys taking defensive swings from 0-0 all the way to 3-2. The dugout’s celebrating when he just fouls balls off because you’re getting the pitcher up to 100 pitches as quick as possible.”

Memorable Matchups and Elite Talent

Tyler faced some of NPB’s toughest hitters, including Chunichi’s Takahashi: “Those guys were tough – zero swing and miss and they actually had ball skill to have some pop too.”

Playing alongside elite talent like Hayato Sakamoto and Tomoyuki Sugano gave Tyler perspective on NPB’s quality: “Sakamoto is like the Derek Jeter of Japan. I just loved watching that guy go about his day-to-day business. Sugano – I understood why he hadn’t gone to the MLB yet, but I also realized this dude is really, really good.”

The Fan Experience

The Japanese fan experience exceeded all expectations, both in the stadium and around Tokyo. “I went to Disney Sea with my family and I got recognized a handful of times. The fans really, really love the game of baseball and they do not want you to feel any anger or disappointment. They’ll actually give you more support when you’re not having success.”

The contrast with American baseball was immediately apparent: “The level of fan engagement and how loud it can get at a Japanese field – it’s not even close to the big leagues. I went to a big league game a couple weeks ago and they’re still great, but they’re a lot quieter after two years overseas.”

The First-Class Experience

Despite the pressure and expectations, Tyler emphasizes the overall quality of the experience: “It’s probably the most first-class operation that I think you can experience. The way that they treat you, how clean the city is, how respectful the people are, how safe it is for your family. They make you feel as comfortable as possible in a new country, far from your home. It’s as best of a situation as you can think of.”

For fans wondering about the reality of playing in NPB, Tyler’s story provides authentic insights into the challenges, rewards, and unexpected moments that define the experience of playing baseball on the other side of the Pacific.

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Listen to the full episode of Pacific Swings featuring Tyler Beede on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. New episodes drop weekly, bringing you inside stories from baseball’s global stage.

Tyler Beede was drafted 14th overall by the San Francisco Giants in 2014 and made his MLB debut in 2018. He played for the Yomiuri Giants in 2023, making history as their Opening Day starter.