After saving 22 games in 26 opportunities, Tomohiro Anraku of the Diablos Rojos del Mexico was voted the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol’s Reliever of the Year for 2025.
A native of Matsuyama, Japan, Anraku moved into the closer role for the Diablos Rojos, helping them to their second consecutive LMB title, leading the league in saves and posting 2.98 ERA in 47 appearances, throwing 45 1/3 innings and striking out 46 while walking 25.
The selection made in a vote of the LMB’s 2025 Special Nominations Electoral Committee, comprised general managers, coaching staffs, reporters, press officers, and community managers from the 20 LMB teams, as well as local media outlets from the 20 LMB cities and national media outlets in Mexico.
Anraku won the election over Paul Fry, Gerónimo Franzua, and Chris Ellis of the Sultanes de Monterrey, José Álvarez of the Toros de Tijuana, Zac Rosscup, Darrell Thompson, and Dan Kubiuk of the Piratas de Campeche, Arnaldo Hernández of the Conspiradores de Queretaro, Clayton Andrews and Vicente Valenzuela of the Tigres de Quintana Roo, RJ Alaniz of the Acereros de Monclova, Trevor Clifton of the Diablos Rojos and Charros de Jalisco, and the two-time defending winner of the award, Fernando Salas of the Olmecas de Tabasco.
He is the first Japanese player to win the award, and the first winner for the Diablos since David Cortés, who won the award in 2008.
Before joining the Diablos Rojos del Mexico, Anraku played nine seasons in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, appearing primarily as a reliever in 231 games with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.
Graphic courtesy of the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol
