Japanese sensation Teruaki Sato is expected to join a Major League team this offseason, and the Dodgers are already linked to him.
Teruaki Sato’s posting update
Sato’s posting had been brewing for months, but the Hanshin Tigers announced it on Monday, October 19th.
His posting will become official after the NPB season ends, since the Japan Series begins on Saturday. Once he is officially posted, he has 45 days to sign an MLB contract.
If he does not sign within that window, he returns to the Tigers for the 2027 season, when he can be posted again.
As with any posting, the Tigers get a posting fee based on his contract. The fee would equal 20% of the first $25 million of Sato’s guaranteed big-league contract, 17.5% of the next $25 million, and 15% of anything beyond $50 million.
According to Jon Heyman of The New York Post, the Dodgers are one of the teams connected to Sato. Given their track record of investing in Japanese talent, it absolutely makes sense that the Dodgers would be keeping tabs on Sato, but does the signing actually make sense?
Sato’s fit on the Dodgers
Sato won the Central League triple crown, with 39 homers and 106 RBI, alongside a .306/.383/.609 slash line.
He lines up at third base, though he also has outfield experience. Sato hits left-handed, which is a knock for the Dodgers, who have a ton of lefty hitters.
At third base, Max Muncy is already taking up most of the reps, while the only open infield spot is second base.
Sato could learn second base, but there will be fit questions about Sato. What will fit well is his power, which could jolt an offense in search of it.
He is also only 27, making him relatively young for a free agent and younger than most Dodgers players.
The Chicago White Sox saw a resurgence after adding Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami, a player who brought serious power.
Sato profiles as someone with that kind of bat, even sharing in Murakami’s high strikeout rate.