Kaima Taira

Kaima Taira (平良 海馬) is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Saitama Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).

Career
Taira was drafted by the Saitama Seibu Lions with the team's fourth selection in the 2017 Nippon Professional Baseball draft out of Yaeyama Commercial High School. Taira spent the 2018 season with Seibu's farm team, posting a 5.40 ERA in 10 appearances.

On July 19, 2019, Taira made his Nippon Professional Baseball debut. He finished this season with a 2–1 record and 3.38 ERA in 26 appearances. The following season, Taira played in 54 games for Seibu, posting a stellar 1.87 ERA in 53.0 innings of work. Because of his efforts, Taira was named the 2020 Pacific League Rookie of the Year.

On June 28, 2021, Taira tied the NPB record for consecutive mound appearances without giving up a run, with 38, a record also held by former Hanshin Tigers pitcher Kyuji Fujikawa. On July 1, Taira passed Fujikawa and set a new NPB record by making his 39th consecutive mound appearance without giving up a run. Taira's streak ended at 39 on July 6, when he allowed an RBI hit to Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters hitter Yuto Takahama. In 2021, Taira was named an NPB All-Star for the first time in his career.