On the 2nd, Lotte manager Saburo commented on the competition for the starting catcher position this season.

"The player I want to see do their best is Sato. I think it would be better for wall if he could stay injury-free and play throughout the year," he said, expressing his hopes for a comeback from Sato, who last season was limited to 68 games with a batting average of .207, 4 Home Run, and 18 RBI due to injuries and other factors.

He continued, "However, Teraji's batting ability, and also the experience he gained last year, will determine how much he has changed this year as catcher. I will have to assess that a bit, but basically, I want Sato to do his best, and I also want Teraji to do his best. I think Matsukawa and Tamura also have a chance. However, I think they need to be able to hit, not just be better at defense than those two, and I'm not sure if that's a high hurdle, but everyone has a chance." With Sato as the base line for the starting catcher, it looks like there will be a fierce battle between Teraji, Matsukawa, Tamura and others who were regulars last season.