Jeff Passan of ESPN did a great breakdown of the upcoming free agent class, including international players who could end up being available this offseason. Which of those NPB free agents could be a fit for the Mets?

Teruaki Sato

Teruaki Sato, 1B/3B

Teruaki Sato is the most well-known hitter out of the NPB expected to be available this offseason. He currently is listed as a third baseman, but in the majors the expectation is that he would play first base. The 89 wRC+ the Mets have received from their first base position this season is the second-worst in MLB in 2026. In the second half, though, they have received better production out of the position with a 110 wRC+, but that is still the 18th-best over that span. Would Sato make sense for the Mets next year?

The answer likely depends on the contract he receives. It is easy to look at his 35 home runs in 2026 and 40 home runs in 2025 and want to slot him into the heart of the Mets’ lineup, but Sato does not hit the ball as hard as Munetaka Murakami. He does not have the contact or strikeout issues Murakami has, but they are still a problem with a 24th percentile zone-contact rate of 81.5% and a 24th percentile strikeout rate of 25.8%. He does hit the ball harder than Okamto did in the NPB, but he does not have near the hit tool Okamoto did.

I do not know that I can easily make the argument that Sato would be a large enough upgrade over Jared Young to give a multi-year contract to him. With Young slashing .266/.331/.429/.760, I do not know if I can even make the argument Sato would be a lock to match that. If the Mets were to give Sato the kind of deal he likely wants, it means they probably have some changes planned to help him take the next step forward. The Mets did scout him in-person, though they did the same for Murakami and Okamoto.

Kaima Taira, SP/RP

Jeff Passan likens Kaima Taira to former Met reliever Rico Garcia. He throws eight different pitches, including three fastball shapes, four breaking balls, and a changeup. He has reached 100 miles per hour and has bounced around between being a starter and a reliever. It is unclear whether he will get reliever or starter offers from major league clubs.

With his good velocity and deep pitch mix, Taira does fit the mold of other successful reliever-to-starter conversions. The Mets have had success there and he could be the next pitcher they try that with. He could also make sense in the bullpen. Velocity was a need of theirs for much of the 2026 season.

Hiromi Itoh, SP

We have the benefit that Hiromi Itoh pitched in the World Baseball Classic and thus have a small sample of what his stuff looks like with the major league baseball.

It was a mixed bag. Results-wise, his 11.25 ERA is not what you want to see, but also it was only four innings. He did not walk anyone and ran a 33.3% whiff rate. What stands out is how he was able to generate both good glove side and arm side movement. Utilizing multiple pitch shapes to help his sinker and slider play up is a big part of his game since none of his pitches are truly “plus” pitches. He did not run a high strikeout rate in the NPB, but he limited walks and attacked the zone. He also did not keep the ball on the ground, and his home run rate was a smidge higher than the average NPB pitcher.

If the Mets were to sign him, he should be viewed as a back of the rotation innings eater. He has peaked at 196 2/3 innings in the NPB and has averaged over 6 innings per start in his career. Entering his age-29 season, it really depends what he wants to sign for.

Who Should the Mets Target?

Taira on a one-to-three year deal seems to make the most sense to me. It could even be structured similarly to the Clay Holmes deal. The Mets could try him as a starter with the plan to convert him to a reliever at an agreed-upon time if he is unable to pitch as a major league starter. He pitched 132 innings in 2026 so he is already largely stretched out.

For Sato, I do not know if I can confidently say he would be enough of an upgrade over what the Mets already have, or how he would compare to other free agents like Jake Bauers and Ty France who may not require as much of a commitment.

Similarly, if the Mets want to go after an innings eater that may not have the highest ceiling, they probably want someone who has done it in the majors over Itoh.

As we get closer to the offseason, we will learn more about how MLB teams are scouting these players, how they think these players can make adjustments in the majors, and what types of deals those players are looking for. Where we stand right now, the player that makes the most sense to me is Taira.