May 25, 2026, 11:05 a.m. PT

You only get called up to the big leagues for your debut once, and Rikuu Nishida didn’t take the moment lightly.

The former Oregon Ducks outfielder and second baseman was called up by the Chicago White Sox on Sunday night and slotted into the lineup in the windy city on Monday, making his MLB debut in right field and batting ninth. The 5-foot-6 Japanese star was the king of contact and thievery on the bases for the Ducks in 2023, leading the program to a Super Regional in Eugene.

After his last game in Triple-A Charlotte, Nishida’s manager and former big leaguer Chad Pinder teased the former Duck by making him stand on a chair in the locker room above his teammates. Then, he told Nishida he would be heading to Chicago, sparking a mixed reaction of disbelief and tearful joy.

Although his teammates asked for a speech, Nishida was left without words. He embraced the clubhouse in the moment he had been waiting for before making his way to the south side.

Many Japanese baseball players look up to Ichiro Suzuki, who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2025. Nishida is one of them, and he will wear No. 51 with the White Sox in honor of the Hall of Famer. Last year, the White Sox presented Nishida with a signed bat from “his hero growing up,” with fellow Hall of Famer Jim Thome giving him the bat.

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By making his MLB debut, Nishida is also making MLB history for Japanese ballplayers. Most players in Japan go through Nippon Professional Baseball before being posted and signing with a team in the United States. That is how Ichiro made it to the MLB, as well as other Japanese stars like Shohei Ohtani.

Nishida, however, will become the first player ever to be born and go to high school in Japan before going to college in the United States and making it to the big leagues. The former Duck is blazing a new trail for international ballplayers.

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