Hideo Nomo was named the 1995 National League Rookie of the Year on this day in Los Angeles Dodgers history. Nomo gave the Dodgers a fourth consecutive winner, which tied a franchise record.
A new benchmark was set the following year when Todd Hollandsworth won the 1996 Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award. Prior to that stretch, the Dodgers had four straight Rookie of the Year winners from 1979-1982 with Rick Sutcliffe, Steve Howe, Fernando Valenzuela and Steve Sax.
Nomo took home the hardware behind 118 total points and 18 first-place votes. He finished ahead of the Atlanta Braves’ Chipper Jones (104 points; 10 first-place votes) and Quilvi Veras of the then-Florida Marlins (14; 0).
In terms of WAR for the 1995 season, Nomo led the Rookie of the Year finalists at 4.1. He was followed by Veras’ 2.8 just edging Jones’ 2.7. Of course, Jones was instrumental to the Braves capturing the World Series that year.
Nomo was just the second Japanese player to reach the Majors and dazzled in his debut season with the Dodgers. The right-hander finished 13-6 with a 2.54 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and led the NL with 236 strikeouts. Nomo’s .182 batting average against was tops in the Majors.
Nomo had previously earned Rookie of the Year honors in the Japan Pacific League in 1990, and he became the first Dodgers pitcher to receive the award since Fernando Valenzeula in 1981.
Nomo made MLB history as rookie
Nearly two months prior to being named Rookie of the Year, Nomo made MLB history by throwing a no-hitter against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Sept. 17, 1996. The no-no was one of two Nomo tossed during his 12-year career.
The second came in 2001 when Nomo, then with the Boston Red Sox, threw the first no-hitter in Camden Yards history.
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