Tigers Hanshin Teruaki Sato will return third baseman Japan’s crown winner this season to MLB teams this offseason, the team announced on Monday. Sato, 28 in March, is slugging 39 home runs with a line of .306/.383/.609 in 2026. The year before, he hit 40 home runs and was named league MVP, and he seems likely to win MVP again this year.
“I am grateful to the team for respecting my wishes,” Sato said in a statement, according to Kyodo News.
This past March, Sato hit Japan’s second in the World Baseball Classic and was the only non-MLB player in the top six of his streak. Shohei Ohtani hits for the lead and Sato is second ahead of Seiya Suzuki, Masataka Yoshida, Kazuma Okamoto, and Munetaka Murakami in that order. Sato went 3 for 10 in five WBC games.
“He has been with us for six years, bringing three league titles,” Tigers GM Satoshi Shimamura said in a statement via Kyodo News. “He delivered an outstanding performance this year.”
Given age and power; and the disabled MLB free agent classSato figures to be among the top targets for teams looking to bat this offseason. Murakami’s two-year, $34 million contract with the Chicago White Sox has proven to be a deal that has also expired in half. Sato could command more than that even though he was two years older than Murakami.
Here’s what you need to know about Sato now that his availability to MLB teams has become official.
What kind of player is he?
Obviously, Sato has the power. His 39 home runs are one behind the league leader and have come at a time when Japan is dead in any age. This year the league hit .236/.301/.350 and averaged just 3.40 runs per game. For reference, MLB teams averaged 4.48 runs per game in 2026, and Myles Straw hit .241/.304/.342. Myles Straws’ entire league was in Japan this season.
Sato is a used hitter and not quite Murakami 2.0. He doesn’t have much power, he won’t draw walks, he still strikes out and misses a bunch, and he probably isn’t a long-term third baseman. Here is just a baseball scouting report from earlier this year:
In terms of raw equipment, Sato’s power may be as close to Murakami’s as any from Japan, and his in-zone contact is stronger than his. But the weakness is grim, it does this very thing. He has been stagnant since his sophomore season and still sits in the bottom third of NPB hitters… That said, Sato does a tremendous amount of damage to the pitches in his wheelhouse, and he does so at a much higher rate than any of those players. The result is a figure built around elite power and an above-average temper that is associated with a swagger and carelessness, perhaps closer to the archetypal hitter to someone like Cal Raleigh or Byron Buxton.
MLB.com recently spoke with a scout who saw Sato as a long-term cornerback or first baseman, not third baseman. Sato ran at a 66% contact rate this season, below the MLB average of 77% and in line with hitters like Brandon Lowe (67% in 2026) and Jake Burger (67%). Murakami was ranked dead last among eligible hitters with 60% contact in 2026.
Lowe is a reasonable offensive comp for Sato as a lefty hitter with 30-pitch power and an OK walk rate. Whether Sato is stuck in the hot corner is another matter. It only takes one MLB team to buy into him as a full-time third baseman, though Sato has appeared to be more athletic than Murakami, making him a viable outfield option. He wasn’t necessarily destined for first base.
What are the posting rules?
Players from Japan can be placed for the first time on November 1 and, once posted, have 45 days to negotiate and sign a contract. The entire process (passing physicals, signing contracts, etc.) must be completed within 45 days. An agreement and a handshake are not enough. If the players do not sign within those 45 days, they return to Japan, although that is unlikely for Sato.
The MLB team signs that Sato will pay the Tigers a salary that is based on the size of the contract. Here is the vehicle fee structure:
$25M or less | 20% of the contract value |
$25M to $50M | $5M plus 17.5% of contract value above $25M |
$50M or so | $9.375M plus 15% of contract value above $50M |
For example, the White Sox paid Murakami’s former team, the Yakult Eagles, a $6.575 million lease on his $34 million lease. This is $5 million on the first $25 million plus 17.5% of the remaining $9 million, which is $1.575 million. $5 million plus $1.575 million equals $6.575 million of the Swallow’s paid station.
In anticipation of a new contract, owners are expected to lock out players when the collective bargaining agreement expires on December 1. The 45-day posting window has ended through the 2021 lockout, and the same strategy could be used this cycle. Posted by Hiroshima Toyo Carp Suzuki on November 21, 2021, his 45 days were suspended when the lockout began on December 1, then resumed when the lockout ended on March 10, 2022. Suzuki signed with the Chicago Cubs on March 18.
Which MLB teams may be interested?
Sato expects to get a significant haul this offseason and not just from competing teams. Murakami’s success with the White Sox, a 102-loss team that last went to the postseason this season, also means rebuilding clubs are looking to pursue Sato. 30 is on the right side and finding potential hard power. Some of the port spots are:
New York Mets: It seems likely that they will opt for Bo Bichette, though the Mets could have an opening at first base and also rotate Sato through the DH spot. Jorge Polanco is still under contract next season and Jared Young has shown enough this year to get at bats next year, who could possibly lead the Mets away from Sato. Bichette would do well to change things.
New York Yankees: The Yankees got some of the worst third basemen in the game in 2026 and are expected to succeed Ryan McMahon this winter. First basemen (Luis García Jr., Ben Rice) and DHs (Rice, Giancarlo Stanton) were pumped to believe in Sato’s ability to play the hot corner so they pursued him heavily.
Philadelphia Phillies: The Phillies need to replace free agent Alec Bohm at third base and badly need an outsider. Sato can be a good fit for either position, and if the push comes to shove, they can always put Bryce Harper back in the outfield and slot Sato at first base. The only downside would be adding another lefty bat to an offense that is already heavy on lefties.
St. Louis Cardinals; St. Louis is open to adding a short-term third baseman in anticipation of top prospect Jesús Báez, who slugged 25 home runs in just 59 double games in 2026. Sato can’t be traded on a short-term contract, but he’s worth a call. The Cardinals team is on the upswing and the 20-year-old should fit in nicely with the rest of the core.
Washington Nationals: Washington is a bullish organization with the flexibility to slot Sato at first base, third base, cornerback or DH. His age is valid with his right cores. The only downside is that he adds another swinging bat to a lineup that’s already heavy on lefties, but that’s not a seller. Nationals and Sato are the best match on paper.