Sources: Cuban star closer Raidel Martinez will stay in Japan, several contending teams
In 2024, he became the Latin American pitcher with the most saves in a single season.
Cuban star closer Raidel Martinez will remain in Japan for at least one more season, according to several sources.
Martinez, 27, is currently in negotiations with multiple teams interested in signing him.
Although the Chunichi Dragons, the team he has been with since 2017, are still pushing to retain him, Martinez is not expected to return to the Dragons and will likely explore other options.
In 2024, he became the Latin American pitcher with the most saves in a single season in Nippon Professional Baseball, with 43 saves, surpassing Venezuelan Robert Suárez’s record of 42 saves in 2021 with the Hanshin Tigers.
According to multiple sources from Japan, Martinez has offers from at least one team ranging between $8 and $10 million per season, with the Yokohama DeNa Baystars and Fukuoka Softbanks being the favorites.
There was some uncertainty that he might follow the path of other Cuban players and break ties with the Cuban Federation, but at least that won’t happen in 2024.
The regular season of Japan’s professional baseball league concluded just a few hours ago.
Raidel had a dream 2024 season, posting a 2-3 record, a 1.09 ERA, 59 strikeouts in 58.0 innings, and a WHIP of 1.08. Many MLB teams, with scouts and executives evaluating him, consider Raidel a legitimate MLB closer, with potential for a multi-year contract exceeding $50 million.
Although his velocity has slightly decreased, his command of the strike zone and several elite pitches make him a top-tier reliever.
Martinez achieved the 4th best single-season save total in Japan. His 43 saves rank behind Dennis Sarfate’s 54 in 2017, Hitoki Iwase’s 46 in 2005 and Kyuji Fujikawa’s 46 in 2007 total, and Kazuhiro Sasaki’s 45 in 1998.
Martinez has not yet made a decision about whether he will participate with Cuba in the upcoming Premier 12 this November.