Raidel Martínez Moves into Top-10 All-Time Saves List in Japanese Baseball

June 4, 2026

Cuban closer Raidel Martínez, of the Yomiuri Giants, made history on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, by earning his 229th career save in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), breaking a tie with retired Japanese pitcher Masahide Kobayashi to stand alone in 10th place on the all-time saves list in Japanese professional baseball.

The Pinar del Río native secured his second consecutive Giants victory, a nail-biting 5-4 win over the Orix Buffaloes, working a tense ninth inning with the tying run in scoring position. Martínez struck out one batter and retired the next two to close it out, lowering his ERA to 1.86 on the season.

With 17 saves in the 2026 season, Martínez leads all Central League closers by two saves over Venezuelan José Quijada. His current pace suggests he could reach 250 career saves before season's end — a milestone only four relievers have ever achieved in NPB history — and could also overtake American Dennis Sarfate (234 saves), the all-time leader among foreign-born pitchers in Japan.

Should Martínez surpass Sarfate's mark, he would become the most prolific foreign closer in the history of Japanese baseball, capping a nine-season NPB career that already makes him a strong candidate for the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame.

(Source: OnCuba News / Béisbol Japonés)