Rikuto Yokoyama leads league with 31 saves for Lotte

Rikuto Yokoyama, the relief pitcher for the Chiba Lotte Marines, currently leads the league with 31 saves. Having served as the team's closer since the start of the season, Yokoyama has demonstrated significant consistency, including a stretch of 12 consecutive saves between May and June.

Despite a challenging July where his ERA rose to 5.40 due to inconsistent appearances and pitch intervals, Yokoyama has regained momentum in August. He reached the 30-save milestone on August 23 against the Nippon Ham Fighters.

Looking ahead to the remainder of the season, Yokoyama has expressed his ambition to win the league saves title and aims to exceed 50 appearances for the second consecutive year. He emphasized his commitment to preparing for high-intensity situations, including potential consecutive appearances, to support his team's success.