Lotte pitcher Yuki Karakawa (37) held a retirement press conference at his home stadium, ZOZO, on the 8th. Reflecting on his 19-year career spent entirely with Lotte, he said, 'It was a 19-year journey where I played gritty and desperately clung on,' and 'I was happy to be in my hometown.' In a surprise appearance, pitcher Naoya Masuda, who is in the same academic year, showed up at the conference and presented him with a bouquet of flowers.

He joined the team in 2007 as a first-round high school draft pick from his hometown of Narita. At Narita, he appeared in the 2006 and 2007 Spring Koshien tournaments, and during the 2007 high school draft, he garnered attention as one of the 'High School Big Three' alongside his contemporaries Sho Nakata of Osaka Toin (Nippon-Ham first-round pick) and Yoshinori Sato of Sendai Ikuei (Yakult first-round pick). In 2008, his first year with the team, he responded to Manager Valentine's expectations by recording five wins, including becoming the fourth player in the two-league era history to win his first three consecutive starts. He achieved a career-high 12 wins in 2011 and served as a key member of the relief squad starting in 2018, though his appearances have decreased in recent years. In this, his 19th season, he has not pitched in the first-team since suffering his first loss after giving up 4 runs in 5 innings during a start against the Hanshin Tigers on May 30 (ZOZO). However, Manager Saburo has suggested he will pitch in the game against the Softbank Hawks on October 3 (ZOZO), where a retirement ceremony is scheduled to be held. Masuda stepped forward to handle the 'last relief' for his comrade-in-arms, stating, 'I would be happy if I could pitch after Yuki on October 3.'

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.