Yankees, Mets get update on top international free agent target originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
It was reported that Teruaki Sato, a player teams like the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, and others are expected to be interested in, has been posted.
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The 27-year-old was posted by the Hanshin Tigers of the NPB, allowing him 45 days now to seek a contract and figure out where he wants to play in Major League Baseball.
There are always questions about players coming over from Japan to play in New York, specifically for squads like the Mets and Yankees, as it’s much further than a place like California, but it does seem like New York teams are going to have a chance to land both of these players.
Regardless, the new information on him should give us a good sense of when things are going to happen, as decisions are coming up for many teams around Major League Baseball with the looming lockout expected at the beginning of December.
“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.
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“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.
The problem for a guy like Sato and the Mets or Yankees is that he can be had for a ridiculous price.
While that usually benefits teams like the Yankees and Mets, it’s also important to remember that both teams are frustrated because they haven’t been winning at the level they’ve wanted to.
It’s also fair to say that he’s worth whatever either team would have to pay him if he ends up in New York. He’s coming off a ridiculous season in Japan, posting a .991 OPS and hitting 39 home runs while driving in 106 RBIs.
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