Alec Bohm is a free agent, and the Philadelphia Phillies may be looking to replace him at third base.
Bohm steadily declined after his All-Star season in 2024, but ended the season on a high note. He slashed .298/.369/.425 in the second half, but the Phillies may still not want to re-sign him to a long-term deal. According to the New York Post's Joel Sherman, the Phillies are interested in Teruaki Sato of the Hanshin Tigers in Nippon Professional Baseball.
"The team I heard most often that might go with Sato at third is the Phillies because they so badly want a stronger footprint in Japan and are losing free agent Alec Bohm," wrote Sherman.
Sato won the NPB Triple Crown this season and has hit 79 home runs in the last two seasons. He is 27 years old and projects to be an average defender at third base in the big leagues, but the real question is how his bat will translate.
He strikes out a ton, and some scouts compare him to Munetaka Murakami. Plenty of reports suggest he is a better defender than Murakami, but may have less power.
The Phillies need to get younger, and adding a player like Sato could certainly be a good move for them. Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper had great seasons, but the Phillies' championship window is closing. Sato could extend their window while also helping them compete for a World Series next year.
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