News Article
Japanese Star Takes First Step Toward Signing With MLB Team as Free Agent
The reigning NPB 'triple crown' winner will take his talents to MLB this offseason, but questions linger about who will sign him — and when
Published
Oct 19, 2026 at 02:28 PM EDT
The Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball accepted Teruaki Sato's posting request, according to multiple reports Monday, Oct. 19.
Sato, 27, slashed .306/.383/.609 with a 196 wRC+ and 39 homers over 143 NPB games in 2026. He hit 163 homers over six season and claimed the 2026 "triple crown," leading NPB in batting average (.306) home runs (39) and RBIs (106).
That figures to make Sato one of the more coveted — and intriguing — free agents this offseason.
...
The timing of Sato's posting request comes a bit earlier than most free agents, but makes sense against the backdrop of a pending work stoppage in MLB.
The Collective Bargaining Agreement that regulates the economics of baseball, including free agency, is set to expire Dec. 1. A new CBA is not expected to be ratified before then, and MLB is expected to lock out its players on that date.
More news: Unlikely Brewers Veteran Wins NLCS MVP After 6-RBI Performance vs Dodgers
That means front-office executives and coaches cannot contact free agents or major league players (anyone on a 40-man roster) as of that date. By beginning his free agency in the middle of October — as opposed to November or December, which is more common — Sato will allow interested teams to court and sign him prior to the Dec. 1 deadline.
Teams interested in signing Sato, then, might have to submit their bids to the slugger before many domestic free agents are ready and willing to sign, a dynamic unique to this winter.
More news: Dodgers Could Lose Key Coach to American League Managerial Opening
Sato should arrive in MLB as a middle-of-the-order power hitter capable of changing a game with one swing. He'll be especially attractive to teams looking for left-handed power with the strength to drive the ball out of any ballpark.
American pitchers might expose Sato's tendency to swing and miss. His defensive home is less certain; third base might not be a long-term fit, making first base or the outfield possible alternatives.
More news: ‘Dysfunctional’ MLB Team Denied Coach Interview Opportunity, Then Fired Him
Many of the same concerns followed Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami a year ago before the White Sox signed him to a two-year, $34 million contract.
Murakami promptly hit 35 home runs, drove in 77 runs, and made the American League All-Star team before helping the White Sox clinch a wild-card berth.
If Sato's earning power is harmed at all by the rushed timing of his posting process, it can only be helped by Murakami's ability to overcome the same factors that limited both hitters' potential in MLB.
For more MLB news, visit Newsweek Sports.