Reporter Seo Jang-won = Japanese pitcher Sawamura Hirokazu, who played an active part in the Major League (MLB), returns to the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Japanese multiple media such as Nikkan Sports reported on the 28th that “Chiba Lotte Marines has recruited Sawamura.” 안전놀이터
With this, Sawamura, who entered the MLB after the 2020 season, returned to Japan in three years.
During his two years in the MLB, Sawamura appeared in 104 games, recording 6 wins and 2 losses with a 3.39 ERA. According to the media, MLB clubs showed interest in Sawamura, who became a free agent, but Chiba Lotte, which moved more actively, moved Sawamura’s heart.
After joining the Yomiuri Giants in 2010, Sawamura won the Central League Rookie of the Year award in 2011, and after racking up double-digit wins for three consecutive years, he converted to a reliever and continued his path to success. In 2016, he led the Central League in saves. He went 48-52 with 75 saves, 64 holds, and a 2.77 earned run average in his NPB career.
After that, he moved to Boston and played in the bullpen for two years, but in August of last year, he was assigned a nomination and was transferred to Triple A. Sawamura, who became a free agent after the season, eventually chose to return to Japan.