It’s a shot in the dark, but it’s compelling!
Japanese third baseman Teruaki Sato was recently posted for MLB teams to sign. The 27-year-old has powerful power from the left side of the plate, has also played extensively in right field and was the recipient of the 2025 Central League Most Valuable Player award.
For a team looking for a shot in the arm and a player who could be a franchise building block, Sato is an attractive player to take a chance on.
Here are the top three MLB free agents to suit up for Sato:
Sato could inject life into a Phillies offense that needs it.
For starters, Phillies infielders Alec Bohm, Edmundo Sosa and midseason acquisition Luis Arráez are free agents, providing a clear roadmap for Sato opening the 2027 season at the hot corner. Elsewhere, Trea Turner is coming off possibly the worst season of his MLB career (-0.1 wins above replacement, a .675 OPS and -17 defensive runs saved at shortstop), catcher JT Realmuto hit just .205 in 2026 and the Phillies struggled a lot during a backfield to transition from their right field this summer.
Over the past two seasons alone (2025-2026), Sato, who has power to all fields and crushes pitches in the upper half of the strike zone, averaged 39.5 home runs and 104 RBI per year for the Hanshin Tigers. Last season, he posted a .306/.383/.609 slash line, with all three percentages being career highs.
Sato could add significant power to a Philadelphia offense that needs just that. Last season, the Phillies were just 24th in MLB in slugging percentage (.395), 23rd in on-base percentage (.312), 22nd in hits (1.301), 19th in runs (713) and 16th in home runs (182). Additionally, they were 25th in barrel percentage (7.1%), according to Statcast.
All that said, Philadelphia could choose to re-sign two of the three aforementioned free agents and make a big investment or two in its bullpen, which was 21st in the league with a 4.43 ERA. Maybe the Phillies will also pursue a new center fielder instead of a new third baseman?
The Seattle Mariners went from one win away from their first American League title to winning just 76 games. They need a boost and Sato would be enough – and then some.
Seattle acquired Brendan Donovan, a 2025 All-Star and a 2022 Gold Glover, from St. Louis. Louis Cardinals to play third base last season, but he was limited to 38 games due to groin and head injuries, respectively. Donovan has also played second base, left field and right field. In other words, Donovan could open 2027 as the Mariners’ first baseman off the bench and take over at second base for Cole Young or third base for Sato if either struggles. Donovan could also potentially be the team’s left fielder if they don’t keep Randy Arozarena.
Sato, who hit three doubles and posted a .300/.417/.600 slash line for Japan in the 2026 Baseball World Classic, would give a shot to a Seattle offense that was just 29th in MLB in batting average (.233), 28th in runs (664), 35 percent and hits (1.2 per percent) for 16th in home runs (182) last season.
The reality is that any team signing a player on an international basis in the prime of their professional career is a risk, but the Mariners are in a position to take advantage of this opportunity because they need offense and have an immediate role for Sato.
All that said, Seattle may feel that Sato’s impact would not ultimately replace a healthy Donovan at third base, it could prioritize re-signing Arozarena and bringing him back entirely in 2027; The San Diego Padres, who missed the playoffs in 2021 and 2023 but have made the playoffs in every other season since 2020, would be a model for that thinking.
The Yankees have no obstacles in the way of making Sato their everyday third baseman.
Of course, Ryan McMahon is under contract for one more season and is due $16 million. At the same time, McMahon, a traditionally stellar third baseman, hit just .213 last season and is suited for a utility role, as he also played second base with the Colorado Rockies before landing in the Bronx during the 2025 season while also at first base.
Plus, New York has an opening at second base, as Jazz Chisholm Jr. is a free agent, and while he got playing time in the middle infield part of last season, Anthony Volpe’s future as an MLB starter is in doubt given the arrival of popular shortstop George Lombard Jr. McMahon could drop to second if injury is present.
Sato would potentially be another explosive left-handed hitter for an already reputable Yankees lineup in that regard (eg Ben Rice, Cody Bellinger and Spencer Jones). Now, if you asked Grok to define “feast or famine,” he might spit out the Yankees’ offensive production of 2026. Seriously, it’s that strange.
While New York’s offense was first in MLB in slugging percentage (9.6%), second in home runs (223), ranked second in average exit velocity (89.6 mph), third outright in slugging percentage (41.6%) and sixth in slugging percentage (.409), it was also second in 21.5 in average (.235) and recorded strikeouts of sixth most (1,480). Overall, the Yankees finished in a three-way tie for ninth with 739 runs scored, which they followed by tallying just five runs and 12 hits in the AL Division Series, which saw them swept by the eventual AL champion Tampa Bay Rays.
Aaron Judge is the best position player in the sport, but the three-time AL MVP turns 35 next April, appeared in just 66 games last season due to rib and calf injuries and has been hampered by injury in multiple seasons (2018, 2019, 2020 and 2023 as well). The Yankees must prepare for Judge to miss time, and that doesn’t just mean stacking up their outfield depth. Rather, it also means finding ways to increase production from other positions, and New York has the flexibility to improve at both second base and third base.
Sato is a risk worth taking for the Yankees.
