Seibu Lions Lions pitcher Kaito Yoza (30) revealed on his Instagram on the 15th that he had undergone surgery for a lumbar disc herniation. He will be forced to take a long break, and it is considered unlikely that he will return this season.

Yoza announced, "I recently underwent surgery for a lumbar disc herniation." He explained the circumstances, saying, "Since early spring, my body hasn't been moving the way I wanted it to, and although I tried various approaches, it didn't improve, so I decided to have surgery."

"I am truly sorry that I haven't been able to contribute to the team this season," he said, expressing his feelings. He then added, "My post-surgery recovery is going well, and I'm gradually able to do movements that I couldn't do before due to the hernia, and I'm regaining the feeling of putting weight on my legs, so I feel like I'm making progress. Mentally, I'm also becoming more positive towards new goals," showing a positive attitude, and concluded by writing, "I will get my body back to full strength as quickly as possible and prepare to perform better than ever before," expressing his determination to return.

Yoza joined Seibu Lions in 2017 as the fifth overall pick in the draft. He had a successful season in 2022, recording 10 wins (7 losses). Last season, he had a record of 6 wins and 5 losses ERA 2.50 in 16 games. He has not yet made an appearance in the first team this season.