The Hanshin Tigers will post third baseman Teruaki Sato, Japan's Triple Crown winner this season, for MLB teams this offseason, the team announced on Monday. Sato, 28 in March, slugged 39 home runs with a .306/.383/.609 batting line in 2026. A year ago, he hit 40 home runs and was named league MVP, and it seems likely he will win MVP again this year.
"I am grateful to the team for respecting my wishes," Sato said in a statement, via Kyodo News. This past March, Sato hit second for Japan in the World Baseball Classic and was the only non-MLB player in the top six of their lineup. Shohei Ohtani hit leadoff and Sato hit second, ahead of Seiya Suzuki, Masataka Yoshida, Kazuma Okamoto, and Munetaka Murakami, in that order.
Sato went 3 for 10 in five WBC games. 【巨人🆚阪神】9回表🎦打った瞬間に確信‼️阪神 佐藤輝明選手の特大2ランホームラン💥─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─🔷ただいまBS日テレで生中継!!🔶『GIANTS TV』でも配信中⚡️▶️https://t.co/EgGhYu3U1m─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─・─ pic.twitter.com/RJ0ih0qJxO "He has been with us for six years, contributing to three league titles," Tigers GM Satoshi Shimamura said in a statement, via Kyodo News. "He delivered an especially outstanding performance this year." Given his age and power, and the weak MLB free agent class, Sato figures to be among the top targets for teams looking to add a bat this offseason. Murakami's two-year, $34 million contract with the Chicago White Sox has proven to be a bargain even with his second-half fade.
Sato could command more than that despite being two years older than Murakami. Here is what you need to know about Sato now that his availability to MLB teams has been made official. Obviously, Sato has power.
His 39 home runs were one behind the league leader and came at a time when Japan is in something of a deadball era. The league hit .236/.301/.350 this year and averaged only 3.40 runs per game. For reference, MLB teams averaged 4.48 runs per game in 2026, and Myles Straw hit .241/.304/.342.
Japan was an entire league of Myles Straws this season. Sato is a left-handed hitter and not quite Murakami 2.0. He doesn't have quite as much power, won't work as many walks, will still swing and miss a bunch, and likely isn't a third baseman long-term.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
