In this episode of Pacific Swings, we sit down with Scott Mathieson — a Canadian pitcher who survived two Tommy John surgeries before the age of 25, made it to the Philadelphia Phillies, and then made a decision that changed his life: he went to Japan.

What was supposed to be a one-year deal turned into eight seasons with the Yomiuri Giants, an NPB all-time record for holds by a foreign pitcher, and — in a first for the franchise — a foreigner being named pitching captain.

Scott opens up about the brawl in year three that turned his worst season around, what Jim Thome told him that saved his career, why he kept turning down MLB offers, and what it felt like to be handed the Giants captaincy as the first foreigner in club history. He also reflects on raising two Japan-born children, facing a young Shohei Ohtani, and what he told every new foreign player arriving in Tokyo.

One of the most complete stories we've had on Pacific Swings.

Hosted by documentary filmmaker Jasper Spanjaart and former MLB/NPB/KBO player David MacKinnon.

🇯🇵 Japanese subtitles available on YouTube.

概要：

今回の Pacific Swings のゲストは スコット・マシソン。25歳になる前に2度のトミー・ジョン手術を乗り越え、フィラデルフィア・フィリーズでメジャーデビューを果たしたカナダ人投手です。そして彼は、人生を変える決断をします——日本行きです。1年のつもりが 読売ジャイアンツ での8シーズンとなり、NPB外国人投手歴代最多ホールド記録を樹立。さらに球団史上初の外国人キャプテンにも就任しました。

3年目に経験した乱闘がどうシーズンを変えたか、ジム・トームの一言がどうキャリアを救ったか、なぜMLBのオファーを断り続けたか、そして外国人初のキャプテン就任がどんな意味を持ったか——率直に語ってくれました。日本生まれの2人の子どもを育てた経験、若き大谷選手との対戦、東京に降り立つ新しい外国人選手たちへ伝え続けたこと。Pacific Swingsの中でも特に充実したエピソードの一つです。

ホスト： ドキュメンタリー映像作家 Jasper Spanjaart と、MLB・NPB・KBOでプレーした元プロ野球選手 David MacKinnon。

🎧 Pacific Swings は Spotify、Apple Podcasts、YouTube で配信中。

🇯🇵 日本語字幕はYouTubeでご覧いただけます。

キーワード： スコット・マシソン、読売ジャイアンツ、NPB、日本野球、Pacific Swings、野球ポッドキャスト、トミー・ジョン手術、大谷翔平、外国人キャプテン、フィラデルフィア・フィリーズ、ホールド記録

In this episode of Pacific Swings, we sit down with Lewis Brinson — first-round pick, centerpiece of one of MLB's most talked-about trades, and the man who wore number 42 at the Tokyo Dome for the Yomiuri Giants in 2023.

Lewis opens up about what it really felt like to arrive in Miami as the Marlins' top prospect with the weight of a city on his shoulders, how that pressure shaped him as a player, and why signing with Japan's most storied franchise turned out to be the best decision he ever made — for himself and his family. He also reflects on the Tokyo Dome experience, Japanese fans crying at the sight of him on the subway, and what he'd tell his younger self if he could.

One of the most honest conversations we've had on Pacific Swings.

🇯🇵 Japanese subtitles available on YouTube.

In this episode of Pacific Swings, we sit down with Trey Hillman — the only manager in baseball history to have managed teams in Major League Baseball, Nippon Professional Baseball, and the Korea Baseball Organization.

He didn't just manage in all three leagues. He won in two of them.

Hillman managed the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters from 2003 to 2007, winning the 2006 Japan Series — ending a 25-year championship drought — while managing a young Yu Darvish in his development years. He then managed the Kansas City Royals in MLB before heading to Korea, where he won the Korean Series with SK Wyverns in 2018. He's also coached with the Dodgers, Yankees, Astros, and Marlins. Nobody in baseball has seen more of the game from the dugout across three different worlds. Key Topics Covered:

• Why Trey left a clear MLB path to take a risk on Japan in 2003
• The biggest cultural shocks of managing Japanese players
• Managing Yu Darvish — and knowing early he was destined for the big leagues
• How he built the 2006 Fighters into champions after 25 years without a title
• The famous "Shinjirarenai!" moment after winning the Japan Series
• Structuring a roster under NPB's foreign player limits
• What MLB can learn from Japan and Korea — and vice versa
• How management style has to shift between American, Japanese, and Korean players

About Trey Hillman: Trey Hillman began his career in the Yankees and Rangers organizations before becoming one of the most traveled managers in global baseball history. As manager of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (2003–2007), he won the 2006 Japan Series and oversaw a 14-game winning streak in 2007. He managed the Kansas City Royals (2008–2010) and later won the 2018 Korean Series with the SK Wyverns. He has served as a coach with the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Houston Astros, and Miami Marlins.

Hosted by Jasper Spanjaart and David MacKinnon.

🇯🇵 Japanese Episode Notes エピソードタイトル： MLB、NPB、KBOすべてを制した唯一の監督 — トレイ・ヒルマン エピソードノート： MLBとNPBとKBO、三つのリーグすべてで監督を務めた唯一の人物、トレイ・ヒルマンが登場。2006年の日本シリーズ制覇（北海道日本ハムファイターズ）と2018年の韓国シリーズ制覇（SKワイバーンズ）を達成した伝説の監督が、異なる野球文化でのチームマネジメント、ダルビッシュ有との思い出、そして日米韓の野球から学んだ教訓を語る。

🇰🇷 Korean Episode Notes 에피소드 제목： MLB, NPB, KBO — 3개 리그를 모두 경험한 유일한 감독, 트레이 힐먼 에피소드 노트： 메이저리그, 일본 프로야구, KBO 리그 세 곳 모두에서 감독을 맡은 역사상 유일한 인물, 트레이 힐먼. 2006년 일본시리즈 우승과 2018년 SK 와이번스와의 한국시리즈 우승을 이끈 그가 세 리그의 야구 문화 차이, 다르빗슈 유와의 추억, 그리고 국제 야구에서 배운 교훈을 솔직하게 털어놓는다.

In this episode of Pacific Swings, we sit down with Cooper Hummel — an outfielder whose 2025 season reads less like a baseball career and more like a fever dream written by someone who has never seen a contract before. Astros. Yankees. Orioles (for 48 hours). DFA'd. Re-signed. DFA'd again. And then: 11 homers in 22 games with Tampa Bay in AAA, a flight to Tokyo, and a deal with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars.

David MacKinnon, former NPB player and Seibu Lions alumnus, guides Cooper through what's coming. Jasper Spanjaart watches from a safe distance, having never been DFA'd in his life.

Inside This Episode:

- The high school coach who told Cooper he'd never amount to anything as a switch hitter (current status: professional switch hitter, year 10)

- Being drafted in the 32nd round and building an MLB career anyway

- Why Cooper always knew NPB was in his future — he lived in Japan as a kid

- Playing Little League in Musashi-Fuchu with a future NPB player as a teammate

- First impressions of Yokohama: the food, the shopping, the neighborhood

- Why the BayStars care more about the CL pennant than the Japan Series

- The NPB dead ball era coming to an end (allegedly — we know nothing, don't sue us)

- Goal-setting: OBP .400 every year, compare yourself to the best in the league

- If Cooper hits 40 homers, he's buying dinner. We're holding him to this.

🎙️ Hosted by David MacKinnon (@DCMacK24) & Jasper Spanjaart (@spnjrt) 📺 Subscribe: https://youtube.com/@PacificSwings

#CooperHummel #YokohamaBayStars #DeNABayStars #NPB #JapaneseBaseball #PacificSwings #DavidMacKinnon #BaseballPodcast #NPB2025 #BayStars2025 #MiyazakiToshiro #YoshiTsutsugo #ShugoMaki #MLBtoNPB #SpringTrainingJapan #NPBDeadBall #横浜DeNAベイスターズ #クーパー・ヒュンメル #宮崎敏郎 #牧秀悟 #筒香嘉智 #プロ野球2025 #外国人選手NPB #野球ポッドキャスト

Royals AAA. Pirates trade. MLB debut. Released. Signed in Japan. All in the same year.

In this episode of Pacific Swings, we sit down with Cam Devanney, whose 2024 was the most chaotic season imaginable - and ended with him becoming the newest Hanshin Tiger. From a 15th-round senior sign to a legitimate MLB shortstop prospect heading to one of Japan's most passionate fanbases, Cam breaks down the journey.

David MacKinnon delivers a full NPB Survival Guide for Hanshin's new infielder, covering everything from the notorious daily in-and-out drills to why Japanese fastballs ride differently to the cultural shock of silent subway commutes.

Topics Include:

• The same-day release-to-signing timeline
• Team USA's Premier 12 experience in Japan
• Why Hanshin are the "Cubs of Japan"
• Dave's insider tips on NPB pitching (fastball-splitter-curve dominance)
• Playing in front of 45,000 fans vs 3,000 in AAA
• The 42-day Duolingo streak
• 12-inning ties and why they just... end

🇯🇵 日本語: エピソードタイトル: MLBデビューから阪神タイガースへ：キャム・デバニーの日本への道 エピソードノート: 2024年シーズン、ロイヤルズAAA、パイレーツへのトレード、MLBデビュー、解雇、そして同日に阪神タイガースと契約という激動の1年を経験したキャム・デバニーが登場。デビッド・マッキノンがNPBサバイバルガイドを伝授します。 主要トピック: プレミア12での日本体験、阪神ファンの熱狂、NPBの投球スタイル、日本での生活準備 シーズン番号: 1 キーワード: キャム・デバニー、阪神タイガース、NPB、日本野球、MLBデビュー

🇰🇷 한국어: 에피소드 제목: MLB 데뷔에서 한신 타이거스까지: 캠 데바니의 일본행 에피소드 노트: 2024시즌 로열스 AAA, 파이리츠 트레이드, MLB 데뷔, 방출, 그리고 같은 날 한신 타이거스 계약이라는 격동의 한 해를 보낸 캠 데바니가 출연. 데이비드 맥키넌이 NPB 서바이벌 가이드를 전수합니다. 주요 주제: 프리미어12 일본 경험, 한신 팬들의 열광, NPB 투구 스타일, 일본 생활 준비 시즌 번호: 1 키워드: 캠 데바니, 한신 타이거스, NPB, 일본야구, MLB 데뷔

Two Seibu Lions aces. One former teammate who faced them both. Everything you need to know about the next NPB stars heading to MLB.

David MacKinnon (@dcmack24) joins us to break down his 2023 teammates:

• Kona Takahashi - The captain who hit 99mph in 2023 and deserves redemption
• Tatsuya Imai - The 26-year-old "rockstar" with the best stuff in NPB

Inside this episode:

🔥 "$250M for Imai might be cheap"

⚾ The "vertical slider" mystery (we still don't know)

🎯 Why Toronto might be the perfect landing spot for Imai

😅 David's horror stories from facing them in spring training

💰 Contract predictions that will shock you

"He threw me a slider that started BEHIND me and ended outside" - actual quote about Imai

Whether you're an MLB scout, NPB fan, or just love baseball stories from inside the clubhouse, this is the deepest dive you'll find on these two aces.

Full episode on YouTube (link in bio) and all podcast platforms tomorrow!

Hosts: @spnjrt & @dcmack24 Sponsored by @jaxathletics

#PacificSwings #NPB #MLB #SeibulLions #BaseballPodcast #JapaneseBaseball #TatsuyaImai #KonaTakahashi #MLBPosting #BaseballScouting #西武ライオンズ #今井達也 #髙橋光成 #野球 #ポッドキャスト

Dietrich Enns went from Yankees prospect to NPB (Seibu Lions) to KBO (LG Twins) and back to MLB with the Tigers and Orioles. The gap between MLB starts? 2,877 days. One of the longest this century.

In this episode, Dietrich joins David and Jasper to talk about:

🔥 Facing Schwarber, Harper & Castellanos in the 8th

🚂 Taking trains with Japanese fans after games

⚾ Breaking down NPB vs KBO vs MLB hitting styles

🦁 Which Seibu Lions pitchers could dominate MLB

👨‍👧 How becoming a father changed everything

"My stuff is so much better now... you just go out there and have fun and enjoy the game."

The Pacific Swings boost is real - he got called up 2 days after our first interview 😏

Hosts: @spnjrt & @DCMacK24 Guest: @dietrichenns

#PacificSwings #MLB #NPB #KBO #Baseball #BaseballPodcast #DietrichEnns #BaltimoreOrioles #DetroitTigers #SeibulLions #LGTwins #JapaneseBaseball #KoreanBaseball #MLBComeback #BaseballLife #PodcastLife #SportsPodcast #BaseballStories #오리올스 #西武ライオンズ