Pittsburgh Pirates: Two Potential International Relief Pitching Free Agents

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BOSTON, MA – AUGUST 14: Ben Cherington, general manager of the Boston Red Sox, responds to a question before a game with the Seattle Mariners at Fenway Park on August 14, 2015 in Boston, Massachusetts. John Farrell #53 of the Boston Red Sox will step down to start treatments Stage 1 lymphoma.(Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) /

The Pittsburgh Pirates should look out for these two international relief pitchers to make the move to the United States.

The international market can bring talent in from around the globe to Major League Baseball. Some of the best players in the game, both currently and formerly, were signed out of other countries. Though many were signed as teenagers, you’ll occasionally see a veteran of an international league head over to the United States.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are no strangers to the international market. They’ve signed some pretty notable prospects from other countries, including Hung-Leng Chang and Po-Yu Chen from Taiwan, Tony Blanco Jr., and Yordany De Los Santos out of the Dominican Republic. But they were all signed at a very young age.

If the Pittsburgh Pirates decide to explore the international market for foreign league veterans, they could look at many different players. But today, I want to focus on two relief pitchers who may look to head over to the US this winter. It’s still early, but they could still make an impact on the team in 2023.

TOPSHOT – Pitcher Raidel Martinez Alazanes del Granma of Cuba throws against Tomateros de Culiacan of Mexico during the Caribbean Baseball Series at the Charros Jalisco stadium in Guadalajara, Jalisco state, Mexico, on February 3, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / ULISES RUIZ (Photo credit should read ULISES RUIZ/AFP via Getty Images) /

RHP Raidel Martinez

A right-handed closing pitcher for the Japan League’s Chunichi Dragons, Raidel Martinez pitched for the Japan team for five seasons. He’s racked up 86 saves while becoming one of the best closers in Japan. Martinez may look to make the jump to the States in 2023.

In the last two years, Martinez has tossed 98.2 innings, working to the tune of a 1.57 ERA and 0.79 WHIP. Martinez has a ton of strikeouts, striking out batters at a 31.3% rate. Not only can he strike anyone out, but he doesn’t allow them to reach via free pass. He’s allowed walks at a 5.8% rate. Home runs are a non-issue for Martinez. He’s only allowed five, leading to a .28 HR/9 rate.

Martinez has the big fastball that most closers have. He averages out in the upper-90s, consistently working around 97 MPH. Not only does Martinez have a plus-plus fastball, but his splitter is a nice secondary offering. While his walk rate doesn’t fully reflect it, his command can get spotty. That is the biggest weakness in his game.

Raidel Martinez has the stuff to be a top-notch reliever in Major League Baseball. The right-hander is more than experienced, pitching professionally since he was 18-years-old. He is currently in his age-25 campaign, so he’s not old, either. At 6’3” and 205 pounds, Martinez has the frame of a pitcher.

NAGOYA, JAPAN – NOVEMBER 14: Pitcher Yuki Matsui #24 of Japan throws in the top of 9th inning during the game five between Japan and MLB All Stars at Nagoya Dome on November 14, 2018 in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan. (Photo by Kiyoshi Ota/Getty Images) /

LHP Yuki Matsui

Yuki Matsui isn’t your typical reliever. Instead of relying on a fastball with high velocity, he uses some impressive breaking and off-speed stuff to get outs. To say that Matsui has been lights out the last two seasons would be an understatement.

In Matsui’s last 87.2 innings, the southpaw reliever has a 1.33 ERA and .89 WHIP. Matsui does not allow home runs, posting a 0.51 HR/9 over the previous two campaigns. Even better is his strikeout rate. Matsui has struck out nearly 40% of the batters he has faced, posting a 39.1% K-rate. The downside is that walks have always been an issue for Matsui. He has had a 10.6% walk rate in the last two years. But on the plus side, his 8.9% strikeout rate this year is the second best of his pro career.

Matsui passes the stat test. He has impressive strikeout numbers, a workable walk rate, limits home runs, and doesn’t allow runs to score. In his nine seasons in the Japan League, he has posted an ERA under 1.00 twice (once in 2015 at .87 and again in 2021 at .63) and an ERA under 2.00 five times. But can his stuff play in the US?

Unlike most relievers, Matsui has a four-pitch mix. His fastball comes in the low-90s and tops out around 96 MPH. He also throws a slider with late break and curveball that sits in the low-70s. But the pitch to focus on with Matsui is his splitter. It’s a nasty off-speed offering that comes in the upper-80s.

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Matsui is the definition of an unorthodox reliever in today’s game. When you think of high-leverage strikeout relievers, the first guys that come to mind are arms like Edwin Diaz, Enmanuel Clase, and Liam Hendriks, guys who can hit 100 MPH on the regular and stand above six feet. Matsui is a 5’9”, 170-pound lefty whose velocity is more average than anything.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates should look out for these two international relief pitchers to make the move to the United States.

RHP Raidel Martinez

LHP Yuki Matsui

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