Rakuten Eagles outfielder Naoki Sato was removed from the active roster on the 2nd.

Sato started as the leadoff hitter and right fielder in starting line-up game against Lotte the previous day (in Koriyama), but was substituted out in the fifth defense. After the game, manager Yoshii explained about Sato, "He's not in good condition. We plan to remove him from the roster for now."

He missed the games Orix Buffaloes on June 27th and 28th to rest. He returned to starting line-up on June 30th, but he was not in perfect condition.

Normally, he never fails to sprint to first base at full speed after hitting, but in the last two games, there were noticeable instances where he wasn't able to pick up speed. He also showed awkwardness when heading to right field for defense.

He joined the team from Softbank Hawks through the active player draft and played in 46 games this season. He had a batting average of .274, 6 Home Run, and 17 RBI. He also made a series of excellent defense. His absence is a blow as he was bringing momentum to the team both offensively and defensively.