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The Saitama Seibu Lions offseason began for real after the Orix Buffaloes won their first Japan Series under their current name.
For the Lions, they already enter a hole with Tomoya Mori filing for domestic free agency this week, leaving him open to anyone. The Buffaloes and Yokohama DeNA Baystars are rumored to be interested in his services.
It was reported that the Lions offered him a four-year contract, but it's not up to them anymore on what Mori wants.
The Lions were able to make him a full -time catcher in 2017 and things paid off. He previously won a batting title in 2021 and his best season came in 2019 where he had 23 home runs combined with an OPS above .900.
His 2022 was a slow season where he only hit .251/.328/.391 and eight home runs. He even missed a month of playing time due to punching a locker in frustration.
With Mori wanting to test the market, we're going to assume he's as good as gone. The Lions have a notorious track record of being cheap or possibly being a place that players don't want to stay for their whole career.
Last season, Yuto Koga and Sena Tsuge picked up the slack when Mori was out. Both guys are capable of being starting catchers in rotation. The offense won't be attractive at catcher, but there are other positions that need to hit.
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Tonosaki stays around
Shuta Tonosaki also reached domestic free agency, but chose to stay with the Lions signing a four-year contract. His bat was not the most attractive, but the defense in the middle with Sosuke Genda saved many games, bringings his WAR north of 4.0.
With his bat not being the greatest since 2020, the Lions had the leverage to keep him around at a cost they preferred.
This past year, he was an everyday starting 2B slashing a line of .215/.295/.356 with 12 HRs.
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Yamada traded, Sato returns
In an interesting trade, the Lions traded with the Nippon-Ham Fighters sending IF Haruka Yamada in exchange for IF Ryusei Sato.
Sato, who will turn 26 this January, was originally drafted by the Lions in 2018. The Lions traded him along with Fumikazu Kimura to the Fighters in the middle of the 2021 season in return for Katsuhiko Kumon and Shota Hiranuma.
The biggest highlight of Sato's career in Hokkaido with breaking up a no-hitter with two outs against Orix Buffaloes pitcher Ren Mukunoki. In 37 ichi-gun games, Sato slashed .115/.175/.167 with one home run.
Yamada was a reserve infielder who was mostly a defensive replacement. He saw some starts at both 3B and SS, especially when Sosuke Genda was out. In 74 ichi-gun games last season, Yamada slashed .200/.270/.225.
Despite his limited playing time, Yamada was known for his colorful personality with gimmicks and humor.
From excessive celebrations off the bench to comical introductions of manager Hatushiko Tsuji, he was the one to showboat. It's possible his personality should fit right in with Big Boss Shinjo out in Hokkaido.
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Final cuts announced
As all NPB teams had to announce their players not returning for 2023, the Lions mostly let go of their ikusei contract players while some veterans retired, saving a few from being cut.
Yasuo Sano and OF Daisuke Togawa were announced as the last senryokugai (戦力外) during the Japan Series.
Sano, 29, mostly ate up innings in middle relief and mop up duty. He only saw two ichi-gun games in 2022 while his career could never be consistent at the top level. An injury sidelined him in 2017 when he had promise.
Togawa, 26, was a former iksuei draft pick who earned a promotion after the 2015 season. His best highlight was a game-tying home run in 2019 off Kota Futaki as he appeared in a total of 28 ichi-gun games from 2019-2022.
Here is the following list of 戦力外:
*Denotes under Ikusei contract
P Yasuo Sano
OF Daisuke Togawa
P Tetsuya Utsumi (Retiring, returning as a coach)
P Ken Togame (Retiring)
P Shota Takekuma (Retiring)
C Shoya Makino (coming off surgery, could be under iksuei contract)
P Hiromasa Saito*
P Kaito Awatsu*
P Sho Ito*
P Towa Uema*
P Toshihiro Idei*
OF Masato Kumashiro (retiring, returning as a coach)
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