With another offseason approaching, there’s another big Japanese superstar ready to make the transition from NPB to MLB. Per Gaijin Baseball, the Hanshin Tigers have accepted star Japanese player Teruaki Sato‘s request to be posted to sign with MLB teams. With a lockout looming about a month after the World Series ends, the Tigers will likely move fast to give Sato the best chance to sign with a team before teams stop negotiating with players in the event of a strike.
However, in the unlikely event Sato doesn’t sign with a team after the 45-day posting window, he will return to the Hanshin Tigers for the 2027 season. Also, there are no signing restrictions like the Dodgers faced with Roki Sasaki, who was under 25 at the time.
The 27-year-old slashed .306/.383/.609 with 39 home runs and a 196 wRC+ in 143 NPB games in 2026. For reference, Yordan Alvarez finished the season with an MLB-best 181 wRC+, with Pete Crow-Armstrong trailing second with a 151 wRC+. Both are likely the MVP favorites in their respective leagues.
Reports surfaced that the Mets previously scouted Sato back in August, and the NPB Central League Triple Crown winner is likely to be one of the best bats in a relatively weak hitting free agent class.
A third baseman by trade, Sato won the Golden Glove Award, MLB’s Gold Glove equivalent, in 2025. However, he’s spent time in the outfield, tallying 269 games in the position.
After a disappointing 2026, the Mets will all but likely be players in Sato’s market this offseason.
