◆Pacific League: Lotte vs. Rakuten Eagles (8th, ZOZO Marine)

Lotte pitcher Yuki Karakawa (37) attended a retirement press conference at his home stadium, ZOZO, on the 8th.

The right-hander, who joined from his hometown of Narita as a first-round pick in the 2007 high school draft and spent all 19 years of his career with Lotte, said, 'I was happy to spend 19 years in my hometown.' As his most memorable game, he cited the home game against the Seibu Lions on April 16, 2024, where he pitched brilliantly in his first appearance of the season, allowing only one hit and zero runs over six innings. Reflecting on his feelings at the time, he said, 'I thought it was the end. I wanted to burn the image into my eyes. It was the first time I stepped onto the mound with that mindset.'

He appeared in the 2006 and 2007 Spring Koshien tournaments with Narita High School, and in the 2007 high school draft, he drew attention as one of the 'High School Big 3' alongside Sho Nakata of Osaka Toin (Nippon-Ham 1st round pick) and Yoshinori Sato of Sendai Ikuei (Yakult 1st round pick). In 2008, his first year with the team, he responded to Manager Valentine's expectations by recording 5 wins, including becoming the fourth player in the history of the two-league system to win his first three starts. In 2011, he achieved a career-high 12 wins, and from 2018 he served as a key member of the relief squad, though his appearances have decreased in recent years. In this, his 19th season, he has not pitched in a first-team game since suffering his first loss after allowing 4 runs in 5 innings as a starter against the Hanshin Tigers on May 30 (ZOZO), but Manager Saburo has suggested he will pitch in the game against the Softbank Hawks on October 3 (ZOZO), where his retirement ceremony is scheduled to be held.

Yuki Karakawa: Born July 5, 1989, in Narita City, Chiba. 37 years old. At Narita High School, he appeared in the Spring Koshien in 2006 and 2007. He joined Lotte as a first-round pick in the 2007 high school draft. He served as a member of the starting rotation and contributed significantly, including a career-high 12 wins in 2011. In 350 total games, he has 82 wins, 78 losses, 64 holds, and a 3.71 ERA. This season, he has 0 wins and 1 loss in 1 game with a 7.20 ERA. 181 cm, 90 kg. Right-handed pitcher and hitter. His estimated salary for this season is 44 million yen.