Lotte's Naoya Masuda pitched in the first team throughout this season, appearing in 40 games and recording a record of 1 win, 1 loss, 4 holds, 2 saves, and an ERA of 3.43.

Masuda is an iron-armed pitcher who has supported The Marines' bullpen for a long time, achieving 20 or more saves for six consecutive years since 2019, through periods when the team struggled to win and the first half of 2020 when they became A-class regulars and a league championship was within reach. Last season, he was limited to 22 appearances, a career low, and ended in frustration with a record of 1 win, 4 losses, 2 holds, 5 saves, and an ERA of 4.35.

After the season ended, he participated in autumn practice at Zozo Marine Stadium and the Miyakonojo autumn camp, making significant changes to his previous approach by fully incorporating weight training. He continued to stay active throughout the off-season without taking a break.

In the exhibition games, he appeared in six matches and achieved a 0.00 ERA, earning a spot on the opening day roster. The role he was assigned from the start of the season was not as a closer or setup man; instead, he pitched in the ninth inning of games with a large lead or in games where the team was trailing.

"It doesn't matter where you pitch, so someone has to pitch there, and I don't think the game is over just because we're losing. If closer them scoreless there, we'll have a chance to win. There has to be someone to take on that role. I hope we can somehow get results there."

He steadily produced results in that position, and on July 10th against Orix Buffaloes, with the score 8-6 in the bottom of the 9th inning with one out and a runner on first base, he took the mound in his first save situation of the season, pitching 0.5 innings without allowing runs closer earn his first save of the season. On August 4th against Seibu Lions, he took the mound in the bottom of the 9th inning with the score 5-3, closer one runs to achieve his 250th career save in NPB. Since July, he has pitched in 22 games and 20.5 innings, showing consistent pitch with ERA of 2.66.

Pitching coach Tomohiro Kuroki expressed his gratitude, saying, "I have the utmost respect for him. Despite being a player of his caliber, he pitched in situations where he had to fill the inning while facing a massive deficit. Normally, anyone would want to flip the table in frustration. However, I am truly impressed by how he suppressed those feelings and kept working toward his goal of moving up from that position to a higher one, and eventually aiming to be the pitcher who throws at the very end."

"How should I put it? I'm sure he wanted to complain. I am grateful that he didn't do that and instead gritted his teeth and kept going. That is exactly why he was able to achieve his 250th save here in such a great way, and I believe that rewards are given to those who work hard at baseball. I think that leads to the 250 saves he has achieved through everything he has done up until now," he said in appreciation.

Even when his position changed, Masuda showed a fighting spirit without becoming discouraged. Coach Kuroki evaluated him, saying, 'What he needs to do doesn't change. He trains properly and runs properly. He runs more than anyone else. To be honest, his condition wasn't great. He analyzed for himself what he needed to do to improve his form, and that analysis transformed into the way he pitched. His body became stronger and the output of his ball increased. He is truly a role model. I have always watched him as a player who acts with a firm understanding of what he needs to do. For me, he was at his best from the middle to the end of the season. He was throwing a stronger ball than any other pitcher. It makes you want to entrust him with the very end of the game. That is the result of him gritting his teeth and pushing through even in those circumstances. I believe his desire to pitch in that position, his determination to do so, allowed him to record saves in that manner.'

"I feel very grateful, and I think Masuda was able to see a different landscape that he had never seen before. I won't know for sure unless I ask him, and I don't know how he feels, but I am watching him with the belief that this will become a significant part of his baseball career," he said, describing the greatness of the moment.

Masuda achieved solid results this season by changing his approach. He is expected to continue supporting The Marines' bullpen next season as well.

Interview and text by Yuta Iwashita