Marines’ Masuda Logs 250th Career Save, 5th All-Time in NPB

Chiba, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Right-hander Naoya Masuda of the Chiba Lotte Marines has become the fifth player in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball Organization, or NPB, to record 250 career saves. Masuda, 36, notched his second save of the season in Tuesday’s home game against the Saitama Seibu Lions at Zozo Marine Stadium in the city of Chiba, east of Tokyo. His first save in professional career, also with the Marines of the NPB’s Pacific League, came on Aug. 5, 2012, against the Orix Buffaloes at Kyocera Dome Osaka. “I want to continue throwing regardless of age, without losing to (younger pitchers),” Masuda said in an interview after Tuesday’s game. The hurler from Kansai University of International Studies in Hyogo Prefecture, western Japan, joined the Marines as the team’s fourth pick in the 2011 draft. He was named the Pacific League’s rookie of the year in 2012, and led the league in saves in 2013 and 2021. He currently ranks ninth in all-time mound appearances at 795. Hitoki Iwase, who played for the Chunichi Dragons in the Central League, holds the NPB record for the most saves with 407. Among active players, Yoshihisa Hirano of the Buffaloes has 258 saves under his belt in Japan and the U.S. Major League Baseball. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]