Pitcher Raidel Martínez receives luxury Toyota car in Japan

April 14, 2023

Cuban pitcher Raidel Martínez, of the Chunichi Dragons, in Japan's professional baseball league, received a luxury car as a prize from sponsor Toyota, confirmed sports reporter Yasel Porto on his Facebook profile.

"Chunichi Dragons reliever, Raidel Martínez, received a luxury Crown car sent by sponsor Toyota last year. Complementary prize for being selected as the most active Dragons player last year. Raidel Martinez does not have a valid driver's license in Japan, so he is eager to drive in the city of Nagoya, considering exchanging a foreign license", Porto wrote.

Martínez was part of Team Cuba, called "Team Asere", in the V World Baseball Classic, always as a reliever and closer for the team. Upon his return to the island from Miami, the pitcher was received as "a hero".

This season, at the start of the Japanese league, Martínez has already saved three games for his team. His effectiveness remains at 0.00 after three games in the "second best baseball league in the world".

⚾️Cuban pitcher from #Chunichi Dragons, Raidel Martinez, received a luxury #Crown car sent by sponsor #Toyota last year.

? Complementary prize for being selected as the most active Dragons player last year.

✍️Source and ?
Yuichi Terawaki pic.twitter.com/X2ApgBM7FQ

— Rogmary (@rogmarygarcia) April 13, 2023

The Pinar del Río native has always considered that "it is something great and even more so for me since I am very young" to play in a league of such high level and demand as the Japanese one.

"It is super developed baseball and you learn a lot. What has been most difficult for me there is during training, you have to spend several hours on the field, they are extremely demanding with preparation," he said on one occasion about this.

Martínez has played in Japanese baseball since 2018, always with the Chunichi Dragons, and has been growing little by little within that league, becoming one of the best closers. Through the 2022 season, he maintained an extraordinary ERA of 2.18, with 232 strikeouts.