Overview
The setup man pitches the 7th or 8th inning, preserving the lead before handing off to the closer. The role gained widespread recognition in NPB after the 2005 Hanshin Tigers' dominant 'JFK' trio-Jeff Williams, Kyuji Fujikawa, and Tomoyuki Kubota-who were instrumental in the team's pennant run. Holds, officially adopted as an NPB statistic in 2005, serve as the primary evaluation metric. In 2014, Chunichi's Katsuki Matayoshi set the single-season record with 46 holds. Modern setup men tend to be power relievers who throw maximum-effort fastballs exceeding 150 km/h over a single inning. Establishing a reliable bridge to the closer directly impacts team win percentage, making setup man acquisition a priority in drafts and free agency.