"The season just kind of went by. In the second half, I was able to play in a lot of games, and although it wasn't all of my ability, I was able to show that I could do it to a certain extent, and although it wasn't proof, the numbers showed that, so I wanted to do it again from the start of the season and I wanted to do it again."
Lotte's Toshiya Sato reflected on the season as follows:
Last season, Sato posted a batting average of .278, ranking fourth in the league, and made his presence felt as a "hitting catcher." After the season ended, he represented Japan in the "Ragzas presents 3rd WBSC Premier12" tournament. While further progress was expected this season, he was hit in the right foot by a batted ball during batting practice on February 13 during spring training in Ishigaki Island, and was diagnosed with a "fracture of the distal phalanx of the first toe of the right foot," forcing him to leave the team. Although he was able to make it in time for the start of the season, he was removed from the active roster on April 23. After being recalled, he got two hit in the game against Hiroshima on June 10, and seemed to be showing signs of recovery, but he was removed from the active roster again on June 14 due to another injury.
He made his return to action on July 26th in a DeNA minor league game as the number 2 hitter and catcher, and was promoted to the first team on July 29th. In August, he showed his presence as a "hitting catcher" with a monthly batting average of .324 (12 At Bat 37 hit), 2 Home Run and 3 RBI. In the end, he played in 68 games, with a batting average of .207, Home Run and 18 RBI, but after the All-Star break, his batting average was .266 (33 At Bat 124 hit), 3 Home Run and 12 RBI.
After the season ended, on October 10th, he underwent a painful triangular bone removal surgery in his left leg. This season has been a year plagued by injuries. This offseason, he plans to focus on building his physique, saying, "Right now, I want to get in shape and show my sharpness. There was a time when my body wasn't moving the way I wanted it to, so throughout this season, I'm trying to build a strong foundation, focusing on building a physique that won't get injured."
Regarding his goals for next season, he said enthusiastically, "I'd like to achieve career highs in all areas, but since I wasn't able to go to training camp after my injury, I'd like to improve my power hitting a little more during my rehabilitation period.I'd like to hit double digits, but I'd also like to improve my power hitting even more."
