The Yankees and Mets have a fresh timeline to work with in the Teruaki Sato chase.
Sato, a 27-year-old who had been expected to draw interest from teams including the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, and others, has now been posted by the Hanshin Tigers of the NPB. That gives him a 45-day window to work out a deal and decide where he wants to play in Major League Baseball.
For clubs in New York, the geography has always been part of the conversation when players come over from Japan. It’s not the same sell as California, and that has long created questions for teams like the Mets and Yankees. Even so, the latest update suggests both New York clubs will have a real shot at landing him.
The clock matters here, too. With a lockout looming at the beginning of December, teams around the league are facing decisions fast, and Sato’s posting window now fits right into that rush.
“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 intriguing is the price tag, which could be manageable enough to keep the Yankees and Mets in the mix. That’s the kind of situation that usually helps big-market teams, though both clubs are also carrying the frustration of not winning at the level they want.
And there’s a reason the interest is there. Sato is coming off a huge season in Japan, one that included a .991 OPS, 39 home runs and 106 RBIs.
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