The Angels’ clearest position-player target this offseason is staring them right in the face: Teruaki Sato.
The Japanese third baseman is set to be posted after the World Series, and the fit in Anaheim is hard to miss. Los Angeles got a combined 98 wRC+ from its left-handed hitters in 2026, a bottom-10 figure across MLB, and there isn’t anyone already in the organization ready to take over third base on a full-time basis.
Sato, on the other hand, just put together a monster NPB season, winning the triple crown with 39 home runs, 106 RBIs and a .306 batting average. That production added up to a 192 wRC+.
And yet, the Angels have barely shown up in the early chatter around him.
That’s a notable development, especially because it points to a bigger issue: Anaheim has gone quiet in the international market for a while now. The club doesn’t have the same track record with Japanese-born players as many of its West Coast neighbors. Yusei Kikuchi has been a prominent recent addition, and Hideki Matsui’s signing made headlines, but after those names, the list thins out quickly.
Part of that likely comes down to results. A 12-year playoff drought is hardly the kind of selling point that helps woo overseas stars, especially when the Dodgers can point to three World Series titles in this decade. The Shohei Ohtani factor also hangs over everything here, and his repeated criticism of the franchise has surely not gone unnoticed.
Still, the Angels have an opening to change the story. With new ownership group leader Stan Kroenke now steering the operation, the club has a chance to rebuild its standing with Japanese players and, really, with international talent across the board. Having a permanent general manager and manager in place would obviously help when they start making pitches like this, but the larger mandate is clear.
Money shouldn’t be the obstacle. The Angels are already being mentioned as possible suitors for Tarik Skubal, which suggests they’re preparing to operate in serious free-agent territory. That means there’s no reason they can’t put together an offer for Sato that sits at or near the top of the market.
It might take an overpay to get his attention. Given the damage done to the franchise’s reputation over the years, that wouldn’t be shocking. But in a new era, landing a player like Sato would be a loud way to signal that Anaheim wants back in the international game.
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