It was with hometown reverence that Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks fans referred to Dennis Sarfate as “The King of Closer,” but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t also true.
Sarfate was tied for the most in saves in NPB in 2015, alone at the top in 2016 and set the NPB record with 54 in 2017. He’s compiled 234 saves in Japan, fifth-most all time and by far the most among foreign pitchers. When Sarfate stepped on the mound, more times than not, the result was decided. As NPB closers go, he’s one of the greats.
Which is why a sudden Facebook post last month that all but announced his retirement created such a stir among NPB fans. Sarfate wrote it at Haneda Airport while waiting for his plane back to the U.S. He was leaving because of a hip injury that’s been nagging him since 2018. Having heard he’d probably need a hip replacement surgery that would end his career, there were a lot of emotions behind that Facebook post, in which he thanked the people who had supported him during his career, especially his wife.