"She likes what I do" - When Red Sox icon Tim Wakefield imparted his knuckleball art to Japan's first female baseball player

Knuckleball is among the toughest pitches to throw in baseball, and late Red Sox icon Tim Wakefield was among the few to have mastered it. Taking the tradition further from him was Eri Yoshida, who became the first female baseball player to play professional baseball in Japan.

At 18, Yoshida joined the Boston Red Sox spring training camp and learned how to pitch the knuckleball from the late Tim Wakefield.

MLB Network posted this moment from Wakefield as a part of Women's History Month.

"It's an honor to have somebody, you know, carry on a knuckleball tradition and somebody that's doing it because she likes what I do," Wakefield said in the video.

"It's pretty cool to have somebody come over to the States from Japan. I heard about her last year and for her to come over here and she's playing in a couple independent leagues right now and for her to come all the way to Fort Myers and watch me throw and it was an honor for me to just talk to her and give her some tips."

On March 26, 2009, Yoshida made her professional baseball debut in front of 11,592 fans at the Osaka Dome. It was the Kansai Independent Baseball League's opening game.

She has played for several Japan-based professional baseball teams as a pitcher and a coach.

Red Sox to honor Tim Wakefield and his wife on home opener

Late knuckleballer Tim Wakefield died due to brain cancer on Oct. 1, 2023. His wife, Stacy Wakefield, died in February due to pancreatic cancer.

According to official team communication, the Red Sox will honor the late pitcher and his wife on the home opener scheduled on April 9 at Fenway Park. A special pregame tribute will be organized, "honoring the life, legacy and community impact" of the late Wakefield couple.

"The commemorative navy patch is shaped like a heart, a nod to Wakefield's role as Honorary Chairman of the Red Sox Foundation, with his number 49 featured in red at the center," the club announced.

Moreover, the players and coaching staff will wear a "49" patch on their jerseys throughout the season. Fans attending the game at Fenway Park will receive a Tim Wakefield pin.