Cuban pitcher Raidel Martínez secured his 31st save of the season on Friday, shutting down the Chunichi Dragons in a 1-0 victory for the Yomiuri Giants at Nagoya's Vantelin Dome. This achievement, reported by the specialized site JIT, further cements his position as the top closer in Japan's professional baseball league.
The Pinar del Río native struck out two of the three batters he faced, marking his second consecutive save and improving his ERA to 1.67 for the season thus far.
Trailing closely behind Martínez in saves is Rikuto Yokoyama, a reliever for the Pacific League's Lotte Marines, who has accumulated 28 saves, three fewer than Martínez.
Raidel's statistics for the 2026 season display remarkable consistency: over 40 appearances, he has pitched 37.2 innings with 43 strikeouts, eight walks, and only seven earned runs allowed.
Opponents have managed just 23 hits off him throughout the campaign, including two home runs.
This performance follows a historic 2025 season in which the Vueltabajo native recorded 46 saves with a 1.11 ERA over 56.2 innings, tying the Central League's single-season saves record held by Hitoki Iwase (Chunichi, 2005) and Kyuji Fujikawa (Hanshin, 2007).
Raidel's journey in Japan has been one of relentless improvement. In 2024, his final season with the Chunichi Dragons, he notched 43 saves and a 1.09 ERA across 60 appearances, setting a record for Latin pitchers in the NPB.
His outstanding performance earned him a four-year contract with the Yomiuri Giants in December 2024, valued at approximately $32.5 million, the largest deal ever signed by a Latin player in Japanese baseball history.
In early July of this year, Martínez surpassed American Dennis Sarfate's record of 234 career saves to become the foreign player with the most saves in NPB history, reaching 235 career saves, as documented by Swing Completo.
Born on October 11, 1996, in Pinar del Río, the right-hander has established himself as the most successful foreign closer in Japanese baseball history, and the 2026 season suggests that his lead over others will continue to grow.
Raidel Martínez's Achievements and Records in Japan
How many saves does Raidel Martínez have in the 2026 season?
Raidel Martínez has achieved 31 saves in the 2026 season.
What notable record did Raidel Martínez achieve in July 2026?
In July 2026, Raidel Martínez became the foreign player with the most saves in NPB history, surpassing Dennis Sarfate with 235 career saves.
What was Raidel Martínez's ERA during his historic 2025 season?
During his historic 2025 season, Raidel Martínez had an ERA of 1.11.