Lotte announced on the 11th that Manager Saburo (50) and others met with catcher Shogo Sakakura (28), who declared free agency from Hiroshima, at a hotel in Tokyo.

On this day, when negotiations were officially allowed to begin, it is reported that they spent about an hour conveying the team's feelings and perspective toward Sakakura.

In his 10th season this year, Sakakura appeared in 140 games, recording a .251 batting average, 15 Home Runs, and 74 RBIs. As a "hitting catcher" whose appeal lies in his long-range power with 76 career Home Runs, he is also a star from his hometown of Chiba, and the team has been conducting a background investigation for some time. They showed their sincerity by making a move on the day negotiations opened.

Although Sakakura is registered as a catcher, he has only started behind the plate in 16 games this season, with the last time being the DeNA game on April 18th at Mazda Stadium. He made 56 starts at first base and 65 starts at third base. In the past, he has also played in the outfield. When he solidified his intention to exercise his FA rights, he revealed, 'I have played various positions over the past 10 years, but I am nearing my prime. Since I don't know how many more years I can play, I want to play in a situation where my position is somewhat fixed. Regarding that, I won't be making any specific demands myself. Whether I stay with the Carp or transfer, I want to play wherever I am expected to.'

Shogo Sakakura. Born May 29, 1998, in Narita City, Chiba. 28 years old. At Nichidai San High School, he was a regular starter as the number four hitter and right fielder from the fall of his first year, and became the starting catcher from the fall of his second year. He did not make an appearance at Koshien. He joined Hiroshima as the fourth-round draft pick in 2016. In the 2017 Farm Championship during his rookie year, he hit a game-winning three-run home run and was named MVP. After the 2020 season, his number was changed from 61 to 31. In 2021, he recorded a .315 batting average, ranking second in the league. 177 cm, 91 kg.