The Yankees and Mets have both been handed a clearer timeline on one of the most intriguing international names on the market.
Teruaki Sato, a player expected to draw interest from clubs including the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox and others, has been posted. The 27-year-old was posted by the Hanshin Tigers of the NPB, which gives him a 45-day window to work out a deal and decide where he wants to continue his career in Major League Baseball.
For New York clubs, the geography question always lingers when a player comes over from Japan. It is easier to imagine a move to California than one to New York, at least in the usual conversation around these signings. Even so, the expectation is that both the Mets and Yankees will have a real shot at landing him.
The posting process also gives teams a better sense of the clock they’re working against. With the looming lockout expected at the beginning of December, decisions around the league are coming fast.
“All 30 MLB teams will have a 45-day window to negotiate with Sato. As Sato is over 25 years old, there will be no restrictions on the deal he signs with his new MLB club, unlike when the Dodgers had to use international bonus pool money to acquire 23-year-old Roki Sasaki ahead of the 2025 season.
“Hanshin will additionally receive a to-be-determined “release fee” based on the value of Sato’s contract with his new MLB club. In the unlikely event Sato does not reach an agreement with an MLB team before his 45-day posting window ends, he would return to Hanshin for 2027 and cannot be posted again until next offseason,” Max Ralph wrote.
What makes Sato especially appealing is the price tag. That kind of deal can be a huge advantage for teams like the Yankees and Mets, even if both clubs are also dealing with frustration over not winning at the level they want.
And the production is impossible to ignore. Sato is coming off a massive season in Japan, one that saw him post a .991 OPS with 39 home runs and 106 RBIs.
In Other News...
Mets Add Experienced Voice Who Could Help Fix Two Key Areas
The Mets have added A.J. Ellis to their coaching staff in a role titled major league strategy coordinator, bringing in a familiar baseball mind with a long track record behind the plate and in the dugout-adjacent side of the game. Ellis, a former Dodgers catcher, also spent time as a special assistant in the Padres front office and has already crossed paths with Mets manager Andy Green, under whom he played in 2018.
For a club looking to sharpen its work in two important areas, Ellis gives the staff another experienced voice to lean on. His background as a catcher, including time working with Clayton Kershaw, puts him in position to help Francisco Alvarez and Luis Torrens while also offering support to the pitching staff, a blend of perspective that could matter in a season where small edges tend to add up. [Read more 🡒]
Juan Soto Is Becoming A Real Mets Roster Dilemma
Juan Sotos bat has been everything the Mets hoped for, but his glove has kept the conversation around him from settling down. With his offensive production still carrying real weight, the question has shifted to where he fits best long term, especially as the team weighs how to protect his value and manage the wear that has followed him in the field.
For now, there is no official plan in place, and the idea remains mostly speculation rather than a decision. Still, the mere fact that first base is being mentioned says plenty about how the Mets are thinking ahead, because a player this important can create a roster puzzle even when he is doing exactly what he was brought in to do at the plate. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Could Be Facing A Painful Roster Reset Under MLB Plan
Major league baseballs latest labor proposal could force the Mets into a very different kind of roster planning. Under the suggested system, the club would have to bring its spending in line with a $258.2 million cap and a $180.2 million floor, a range that would put immediate pressure on one of the sports most aggressive payrolls. For a team that has built around high-priced talent, the change would be less about one offseason and more about a wholesale rethink of how the roster is assembled.
For the Mets, the real challenge would be preserving competitiveness while losing some of the freedom that has defined their recent approach. A tighter payroll structure would likely push the front office toward younger players, more disciplined contract decisions and a sharper eye on long-term flexibility. However it plays out, the proposal would not just trim spending, it could reshape how the Mets make every major move from here on out. [Read more 🡒]