Female Pitcher to Play in U.S.

Eri Yoshida, an 18-year-old woman who played professional baseball last year in Japan, has signed with an American minor-league team—the Chico Outlaws of the Golden Baseball League. Yoshida throws a knuckleball—and earned the stamp of approval of veteran knuckleballer and Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield this summer, who said he was “impressed” this summer. Yoshida was Japan’s first female pro baseball player and the first woman to pitch for an American team since Ila Borders retired more than 10 years ago. The Chico Outlaws are currently making separate locker room and hotel arrangements for Yoshida.