Yū Satō

Yū Satō (佐藤 優, Satō Yū, born June 28, 1993 in Ōsaki, Miyagi, Japan) is a professional Japanese baseball player. He previously played pitcher for the Chunichi Dragons.

Yū Satō
佐藤優
Pitcher
Born: (1993-06-29) June 29, 1993
Ōsaki, Miyagi, Japan
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
debut
10 May, 2016, for the Chunichi Dragons
NPB statistics
(through 2020 season)
Win–loss record5-2
Innings Pitched110
ERA4.34
Strikeouts95
Teams

Early career

Satō started playing rubber-ball baseball in elementary school. With his high school, Furukawagakuen, he started his freshman year on the bench and reached the best 8 of the Tohoku Regional high school tournament.

He attended Tohoku Fukushi University and started playing league games in his freshman year. In his senior year in a game against Tohoku Institute of Technology, Satō fanned a remarkable 13 batters.[1] He finished with an 11–2 win–loss record with a 1.29 ERA.

On 22 October 2016, Satō was selected as second pick for the Chunichi Dragons at the 2015 Nippon Professional Baseball draft and on 1 December signed a \10,000,000 per year contract with a \70,000,000 sign-on bonus.[2]

Professional career

2016-2017

On 10 May, in a game against the Yokohama DeNA Baystars at Yokohama Stadium, he claimed a debut win throwing 5 innings for 1 earned run becoming the first Dragons rookie pitcher to win on debut since Kenshin Kawakami in 1998.[3]

Satō finished the 2016 NPB season having started 4 games going 1–0 in decisions with a 3.67 ERA. The following season, Satō was limited to mostly work out of the bullpen claiming 2 wins, 2 holds and a 5.40 ERA.

2018-Present

Satō made his first appearance in April, but was immediately demoted to the farm team after surrendering 3 runs.[4][5] He would later join the team in June and record 11 consecutive games without an earned run.[5] For the end of the season, thanks to the mishaps of Shinji Tajima and Hiroshi Suzuki, Satō was made the closer and on 24 August registered his first career save.[6] Satō would end the season having pitched in 42 games with a 1–2 record, 5 saves, 10 holds and a 2.08 ERA.[5]

Despite breaking out somewhat in 2018, Satō was unable to repeat his success in 2019 making a career lowest 7 mound appearances despite being with the team from opening day.[7] On the farm, Satō would pitch in 24 games, throwing 39 innings for a respectable 3.00 ERA.[8] In the off-season, on October 21, Satō underwent arthroplastic surgery on his right elbow.[9]

International career

On October 26, 2018, he was selected Japan national baseball team at the 2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series.[10]

Pitching style

Satō throws a four-seam fastball that tops out at 151 km/h. He can also throw a forkball that was taught to him by former Seattle Mariners pitcher, Kazuhiro Sasaki.[11]

References
  1. "プロ注目の東北福祉大・佐藤13Ｋで白星発進 (Tohoku Fukushi's Future pro, 13K man Satō)" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 13 April 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  2. "中日ドラ２、東北福祉大・佐藤優の入団決定 (Chunichi's #2 pick, Tohoku Fukushi's Satō joins the team)" (in Japanese). Sponichi. 1 December 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  3. "「優しすぎる男」中日佐藤が初登板初先発プロ初勝利 (The "man that is too kind"; Chunichi's Satō wins on debut)" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 10 May 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  4. "広島鈴木誠也、巨人陽岱鋼ら抹消／４日公示 - 公示 : 日刊スポーツ". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 2018-04-04. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  5. "【中日】佐藤、飛躍の理由はアレをやめたから？…最終戦「抑えて終わりたい」" [Satō's reason for success is because he stopped that? Last game "I want to close it out and finish"]. Sports Hochi (in Japanese). 2018-10-08. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  6. "佐藤、初S 新守護神誕生" [Satō's 1st save. A new closer is born.]. Chunichi Sports (in Japanese). 2018-08-24. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  7. "中日・佐藤優が300万円減の推定1700万円でサイン 今季は自己最少の7試合登板に「キャンプからアピールできずそのまま…」" [Chunichi's Yu Satō receives 3M yen decrease to sign at 17M. Made fewest appearances this year "I was unable to take a spot in camp and then it just..."]. Chunichi Sports (in Japanese). 2019-11-09. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  8. "2019年度 中日ドラゴンズ 個人投手成績（ウエスタン・リーグ）". npb.jp (in Japanese). 2020-03-13. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  9. "右肘手術の中日・堂上「春のキャンプは大丈夫」 伊藤準も「元気な状態でキャンプに」" [Right elbow surgery recipients: Donoue "I'll be fine for spring camp"; Ito "I'm in good shape for camp"]. Chunichi Sports (in Japanese). 2019-12-16. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  10. "「ENEOS侍ジャパンシリーズ2018」ならびに「2018日米野球」に出場するトップチームの出場選手の変更について". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). October 26, 2018. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  11. "【中日】ドラ２東北福祉大・佐藤優"竜の大魔神"になる「目標は新人王」(Draft #2 Tohoku Fukushi Uni's Yu Satō to become "Dragon Stone Warrior"; goal of rookie of the year)" (in Japanese). Sports Hochi. 28 October 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
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