This season, while being a rookie in the first year of graduating from high school at Lotte, Torao Matsukawa, who participated in 76 games, including starting in the opening game as a catcher, renewed his contract, with an estimated annual salary increase of 11 million yen. The contract was renewed for 24 million yen.
Matsukawa, who joined the team in first place in the draft, received high praise from the leadership team for his catching and leading from the camp, and became the third rookie catcher who graduated from high school to start in the opening game of professional baseball.
In addition, in the match against Orix on April 10, he teamed up with pitcher Aki Sasaki to complete a perfect match, and was selected by fan voting for the All-Star Game.
Although he had a batting average in the 10% range and still had issues, he played in the first army throughout the season and participated in 76 games.
Matsukawa renewed his contract at the Chiba city office on the 16th, and both renewed his contract with an estimated annual salary of 24 million yen, an increase of 11 million yen.
After completing his first contract renewal, Matsukawa said, "He was a little shaken when he stamped, but he got a really good evaluation."
After that, he looked back on his first professional season, saying, "I was able to wear a mask from the opening and was able to win, but looking at the total, it was a very frustrating season for me."
Also, regarding the fact that pitcher Sasaki, who achieved a perfect game at the end of the season, could not build a battery in the starting game, he enthusiastically said, "It was frustrating. I want to build a battery for all games next year." I was there.