White Sox as a free agent, and marked a 2.31 ERA in 56 games, along with 19 saves. His first major league appearance came against Hideki Matsui, whom he had faced numerous times in the Japanese Central League. Matsui's first home run in Japan had come off Takatsu in the same game in which Takatsu recorded his first career save. Takatsu finished second in AL Rookie of the Year voting behind Bobby Crosby. Takatsu did not pitch well the next season, and was demoted to the minors, and cut in August. He signed a minor league deal with the New York Mets, and made his way up to the majors, but was dropped at the end of the season. Takatsu returned to his old team, the Yakult Swallows, in 2006. He was a reliever early in the season, but was given the closing job after injuries to Hirotoshi Ishii and Masao Kida. On October 7, 2006, he saved his 300th game (combined number from the majors and Japan). The only other Japanese player to have made 300 saves is former Seattle Mariners closer Kazuhiro Sasaki. He has saved 8 games in 11 Japanese championship series games (the all-time record), and has not allowed a single run in those 11 games. In 2008, Takatsu attempted to return to U.S. baseball and signed a minor league deal, with an invitation to spring training, with the Chicago Cubs of the MLB. However, he was released midway through spring training. Takatsu was signed to the Seoul-based, Woori Heroes on June 13, 2008. He recorded his first save on June 29, 2008, becoming the first pitcher to get saves in Nippon Professional Baseball, Major League Baseball, and Korea Baseball Organization. But he was released from Heroes in December 2008. On June 15, 2009, he signed a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. In January 2010, Takatsu joined Sinon Bulls of CPBL in Taiwan. He becomes the first Japanese professional player to have played in NPB, MLB, KBO, and CPBL. On November 26, 2010, he announced on his blog that Sinon will not renew the contract. In 2020, he became the manager of the Yakult Swallows, replacing Junji Ogawa. In 2022, he was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame. Pitching style Takatsu throws from the sidearm, and relies on three types of sinkers to mix up opponents. His