◆ Pacific League Lotte 5-3 Seibu Lions (April 4th, ZOZO Marine Stadium)

Lotte Marines pitcher Naoya Masuda (36) took the mound in the 9th inning of the game against Seibu Lions (at ZOZO Marine Stadium) with the score 5-3, and earned his second save of the season with no hit and no runs allowed, becoming only the fifth player in history to reach 250 career saves. This remarkable achievement comes after a slump last season and a significant decrease in save opportunities this season, and he has also secured his induction into the Meikyukai (Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame). His eldest son, Kiki (12), who witnessed the moment at the stadium, sent a congratulatory message.

[Memoir by the eldest son, Teruki]

Dad, congratulations on reaching 250 career saves. I thought it was amazing when you reached 228 career saves in June 2024, which is the most in Lotte history, but you looked really cool today too.

I respect him so much that I think, "I want to be his father." He's kind, handsome, and an amazing singer. He often takes me to karaoke and sings for me. He's good at singing anything, but he's especially good at "Lilac" (Mrs. GREEN APPLE). He can hit high notes that are usually difficult to reach by using his whole body (laughs). I love everything about him!

My favorite position in baseball is pitcher. There was a time when I couldn't practice every day and my dad got angry and told me, "If you're not going to practice, you should just quit." But he also told me, "Even if it's just one practice swing every day, keep at it, because consistency is important, so do it properly." Since then, I've been trying my best and practicing every day. I'm really happy when I can play catch with my dad on my days off.

My dream for the future is to become a professional baseball player. And I want to join the Lotte Marines and have a relay game with my dad at the end of the season. I'll start and pitch until the 8th inning, then I'll hand it over to my dad at the end, and I want him closer. If he gets hit, I'll say, "Oh no! I messed up!" (laughs). I want him to play until he's 50, and it would be amazing if he could play until he's 52, the same age as number. If he could do that, he might be able to achieve 400 saves. Keep up the saves and do your best! (Teruki Masuda)

◆ Naoya Masuda (Masuda Naoya) Born October 25, 1989, in Kinokawa City, Wakayama. 36 years old. At Ichi Wakayama Commercial (now Ichi Wakayama), he served as a backup for infielder and reached the top 4 of the Wakayama tournament in his third summer. He switched to pitcher at Kansai International University and joined Lotte as the 4th pick in the 2011 draft. In his rookie year, he pitched 72 times and recorded 41 hold, earning Rookie of the Year award. He was the saves leader in 2013 and 2021. He is 179 cm tall and 80 kg. He bats and throws right-handed. His estimated annual salary for this season is 120 million yen.