Eiji Sawamura Award
Iwakuma made his professional debut with the Buffaloes in 2000. He was named a NPB All-Star in 2003 and 2004, and played in the 2004 Athens Olympics. He joined the Eagles in 2005. As the Eagles' reigning staff ace, Iwakuma won the Eiji Sawamura Award in , and was also a NPB All-Star that year. He appeared in the 2009 World Baseball Classic for the Japanese national team.