Cuban pitcher Raidel Martínez achieved a feat in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league by reaching 250 career saves.

Raidel accomplished the milestone after retiring in order the three batters he faced in an inning of relief in the Yomiuri Giants' 5-3 victory over the Chunichi Dragons at the Tokyo Dome. It was his 38th save of the season.

He becomes the sixth player in NPB history to reach this mark and the first foreigner to do so.

According to the website Béisbol Japonés, this milestone grants him access to the prestigious Meikyukai (Club of Extraordinary Players), which brings together all NPB players who have accumulated 2,000 hits, 200 wins, or 250 saves in their careers.

The Cuban becomes only the second foreigner to achieve that honor, after Venezuelan Alex Ramírez.

With this performance, Martínez maintains excellent numbers in the tournament with a record of four wins and three losses, and 38 saves.

Additionally, he has totaled 47 innings pitched, seven earned runs allowed, 25 hits, 51 strikeouts, and 10 walks, with an earned run average of 1.34.

Induction into the Club of Extraordinary Players confirms Raidel Martínez as one of the best closers in the history of Japanese baseball.