Report: Irabu’s Father Is American

Hideki Irabu, the Japanese pitcher who made his major league debut for the New York Yankees last week, is the son of an American, according to his stepfather.

Ichiro Irabu, in a telephone interview from Japan with The New York Times, said his wife, Kazue, and an American he declined to name were the pitcher’s birth parents, the newspaper reported today.

Ichiro Irabu, 51, said the subject was too sensitive for him to talk about at length. He would only add that he became Hideki’s stepfather soon after he was born.

There has been speculation throughout Japan that Irabu’s father was an American serviceman, the paper said. Japanese birth documents list a parent only if he or she is a Japanese citizen, and the family has not spoken about Irabu’s parentage.

Hideki Irabu’s interpreter Kota Ishijima, said Irabu, 28, probably would not address remarks made by his stepfather.

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Baltimore Oriole starting pitcher Rocky Coppinger tested his right elbow by throwing in the bullpen for about 15 minutes at Camden Yards. The right-hander, who won 10 games as a rookie last season, has been on the disabled list since late April.

Coppinger, 23, will start for double-A Bowie on Thursday and continue his rehabilitative assignment with Class AAA Rochester.

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The Detroit Tigers activated right-hander Kevin Jarvis from the disabled list and optioned left-hander Roberto Duran to the Jacksonville of the Class AA Southern League.