"As you can see from the numbers, I think it was the worst year of my career."

Lotte's Naoya Masuda looked back on the 2025 season as follows.

Masuda had recorded 20 or more saves for six consecutive years up until last season, and recorded 25 saves last season. At the end of last season, he had recorded 243 saves in total, and entered the 2025 season just seven saves away from reaching 250, one of the conditions for joining the Hall of Fame.

In the first game of the season on March 29th, he went up to mound in the bottom of the 10th inning of 5-4 in the Softbank game, and hit a pinch hitter Akira Nakamura grounder, followed Ukyo Shuto with a 145 kg fastball struck out, and hit a Kensuke Kondo with a sinker fly to center field, marking his first save of the season. After all, it was a pitch that made me think that this man was the only one who would win and end the game.

Neither of his second appearances this season, against Softbank on April 8th, nor the following game against Softbank on April 12th, were in a save situation, but he pitched in the 7th inning with the score at 0-8 in the latter game. He recorded his second save of the season in a game Rakuten Softbank April 18th, and then pitched his first consecutive games of the season against Seibu on April 23rd, closer a runs first inning to earn his third save.

After that, he took a break from pitching until his game Softbank on May 2nd. He pitched in the ninth inning with the score at struck out, getting two outs after getting Hotaka Yamakawa to hit a fly Ryoya Kurihara to right field and Tatsuru Yanagimachi to strike out swinging. However, he allowed a single to Akira Nakamura, a single to Tatsu Yanagimachi to right field, and an RBI single to Taisei Makihara, putting the team within one run. He then gave up a Hit by Pitch by pitch to Soichiro Ishizuka and a two-run doble to pinch hitter Akira Kawase, resulting in a walk-off loss.

On July 21, he pitched the 9th inning of a 2-0 game against Orix and pitched in a save situation for the first time in a long time. He gave up a fly to right field to Shuhei Fukuda lead off the inning. He then gave up Yutaro Sugimoto to struck out and struck out to Taishi Hirooka to end the game.

He also recorded a save against Softbank on August 5th, but runs in two consecutive games against Softbank on August 17th and Rakuten on August 19th, and was removed from the first-team roster the following day, August 20th. This season, he pitched in 22 games, finishing with a record of 1 win, 4 losses, 2 hold 5 ERA of 4.35, which was a disappointing season.

Perhaps there was also pressure to reach 250 career saves.

"I think it might be, but it's irrelevant. Regardless, it just wasn't good," he said bluntly.

When asked what the reason for his improvement this season was, he reflected, "My shoulders and elbows weren't ready, and it felt like my speed wasn't increasing."

From October 17th, he took part in the fall training held at Zozo Marine Stadium. He will also be taking part in the Miyakonojo fall camp starting on the 29th. During fall training, he played catch. Is the fact that he is playing catch without resting his shoulders and elbows at this time of year because he is participating in fall training, or is he trying to change his approach this off-season?

"I'm trying to change my approach. I'm continuing to run, but I'm increasing my training a little. I started off poorly the last two years, so my shoulders and elbows are developing slowly. I started catch early and am working on it slowly," he explained.

This season, he also threw cutter, but "I don't know what I will do next year," he said, "(cutter) is a pitch I used to throw to fool people. If possible, I would like to be able to throw closer straight, sinker and slider, but anyway, straight." At the moment, he would like to closer use the three pitches he has, fastball, sinker, and slider. Among them, he intends to focus on fastball.

This season, the team finished last since 2017, and with Manabu Mima retiring, many veteran players who had supported the team for many years have left to continue playing. With new manager Saburo taking over next season, the team is rejuvenating.

"I don't think age matters, so I think I can be used regardless of age if I'm good at it, and I don't want to blame my age, so I'm going to do my best and do my best." number 52, who has supported the The Marines bullpen for many years, intends to use his skills to once again earn a spot on mound in a ninth-inning game. Naoya Masuda 's battle for the 2026 season has begun.

Interview and text by Yuta Iwashita