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White Sox Climb Above .500, Nishida Shines in Debut

5/26/2026

44 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Nishida Debut Victory

The White Sox promoted 25-year-old Rikuu Nishida and designated Jarred Kelenic on May 25, 2026.
In his debut Nishida recorded his first hit and threw out a runner, helping Chicago beat the Twins 3-1 and move to a 27-26 record, first above .500 since 2021.
The Osaka-born 2023 11th-round pick became the fifth Japanese-born White Sox player and, per hitting director Ryan Fuller, his .454 on-base rate may affect outfielder Luisangel Acuña.

Summary

Nishida Honors Ichiro

Nishida will wear No. 51 to honor Ichiro Suzuki after receiving a signed bat and a “ganbatte” note from Jim Thome.
He met Ichiro at spring training last year and was speechless.
The White Sox drafted him in the 11th round of 2023, making him the ninth Japan-born major leaguer and the first with a Japanese-language name on the roster.

Summary

Nishida Fuels College

Analysts say Nishida’s breakthrough, underscored by Rintaro Sasaki’s 2024 transfer to Stanford, could spur more Japanese players to pursue U.S. college routes instead of NPB.
He runs a private company and a cheerleader-support project, an unusual off-field venture for a rookie.
After attending Oregon University, he was drafted 329th overall in 2023 and posted a .290 average, .410 OBP and 110 steals in 306 minor-league games.

History

Historical Context

Ichiro Suzuki’s 2001 rookie season with Seattle produced a record 242 hits, proving Japanese position players could thrive in MLB. Hideo Nomo’s 1995 NL Rookie-of-the-Year win similarly opened doors for Japanese talent. The Chicago White Sox’s 2026 signing of Osaka-born outfielder Rikuu Nishida follows that legacy, suggesting the pipeline from Japan to MLB will keep expanding.

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Nishida Debut Victory

The White Sox promoted 25-year-old Rikuu Nishida and designated Jarred Kelenic on May 25, 2026.
In his debut Nishida recorded his first hit and threw out a runner, helping Chicago beat the Twins 3-1 and move to a 27-26 record, first above .500 since 2021.
The Osaka-born 2023 11th-round pick became the fifth Japanese-born White Sox player and, per hitting director Ryan Fuller, his .454 on-base rate may affect outfielder Luisangel Acuña.

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