Hirokazu Sawamura, who hoped to continue his career in the United States, returns to his ‘parent team’, the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Nippon Professional Baseball League.
Japan’s ‘Nikkan Sports’ said on the 28th (Korean time), “Sawamura Hirokazu will return after 3 seasons” and “After a scramble between Japanese and American teams, he is heading to his former team Chiba Lotte Marines.”
Sawamura began his professional career after being drafted by the Yomiuri Giants in the first round of the 2010 rookie draft. Sawamura played for the Yomiuri and Chiba Lotte Marines and played in 352 Japanese professional baseball games, recording a record of 48 wins, 52 losses, 64 holds, 75 saves, and an average ERA of 2.77.
Sawamura recorded 2 losses, 13 holds, 1 save and an average ERA of 1.71 in 22 games in the 2020 season, challenged the major leagues after the season, and succeeded in signing a 2+1 year contract with the Boston Red Sox. A contract to receive up to 7.65 million dollars (approximately 9.4 billion won) if all options are filled. However, Sawamura did not complete all three seasons in Boston.
In his first year in the big leagues, Sawamura seemed to be making a soft landing with 5 wins, 1 loss, 10 holds and an ERA of 3.06 in 55 games. However, while he recorded an average ERA of 3.73 with 1 win, 1 loss and 3 holds in 49 games last year, he tasted the bitter taste of being released. Looking at his classic stats alone, his grades weren’t bad, but the detailed indicators weren’t too good.
Sawamura was notified of going to the minor leagues for not being able to throw strikes during last year’s season, and even after returning to the big leagues, there was no improvement in his control. He had good results, but his pitching was not clean. As a result, his WHIP (on-base percentage per inning) was very high at 1.44 in his major league career. 먹튀검증
In the end, Suwamura suffered greatly with 4 hits, 2 walks and 3 runs (3 earned) in 1 inning against the Tampa Bay Rays on August 29 last year, and after the game, he was excluded from the 40-man roster in the major leagues. Sawamura hoped to continue his active career in the United States after his position in Boston narrowed. However, after much deliberation, he chose to return to Japan.
‘Nikkan Sports’ said, “Sawamura returns to Makkuhari (Chiba Lotte’s home stadium station name) mound. Chiba Lotte Marines recruits former Boston Red Sox Sawamura. Chiba Lotte Marines also participated in the scramble with American and Japanese clubs.” With his return after 3 years since 2020, the puzzle of winning the Pacific League for the first time in 18 years has been added.”
The active movement of ‘parent’ Chiba Lotte moved Sawamura’s heart. ‘Nikkan Sports’ explained, “Chiba Lotte showed enthusiasm in the scramble between the US and Japan’s multiple clubs,” and “Sawamura showed respect for him while struggling to return to the major league and Japanese baseball world.”
The specific contract size has not yet been disclosed. However, the media predicted that Chiba Lotte offered a multi-year contract to Sawamura.