In , Saito took the mound for the Hawks on Opening Day (March 24) against the Orix Buffaloes, the second straight year he was appointed Opening Day starter and the fourth time he was given that role overall. However, he took a no-decision in the loss, and struggled in the first few weeks of the season.
In , Saito took the mound for the Hawks on Opening Day (March 24) against the Orix Buffaloes, the second consecutive year he was designated as the Opening Day starter and the fourth time he received that role. However, he did not win in the loss, and had difficulty during the early part of the season.