Each year, it feels like the MLB free agent class is given a boost with the posting of a superstar from Japan. It had been a few years since Shohei Ohtani’s original deal with the Angels, and his emergence as a generational superstar has given teams a reason to pay closer attention to the Pacific Rim. Since Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s massive contract with the Dodgers prior to 2024, it seems like there’s one or two big name talents coming from Japan every offseason. Roki Sasaki followed in 2025, and the market ahead of 2026 featured a pair of sluggers in Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto, as well as righty Tatsuya Imai.
The White Sox have seen a good amount of early success with their signing of Murakami, and it’s a move that they hope will help make them a regular participant in the market for Japanese talent. This offseason, another big name bat will be coming to the states. Hanshin Tigers slugger Teruaki Sato has officially asked to be posted this offseason, and the Tigers have accepted his request. He’s certain to get a good long look from MLB teams, but this is one I think the White Sox should avoid.
The Hanshin Tigers have officially accepted Teruaki Sato’s posting request.
— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) October 19, 2026
Sato won the 2026 Triple Crown in the NPB, hitting .306 with 39 HR and 106 RBI in his age-27 season. pic.twitter.com/qjtzkpfdxZ
Sato, 27, has played for Hanshin in Japan since 2021. He posted home run totals of 25, 20, 25, and 18 in his first four professional seasons in Japan, but broke out for 40 in 2025 and 39 in 2026. Along with his power, Sato has improved his batting average from .240 his rookie year to .306 this season. On defense, he’s spent a good deal of time at third base but has played the corner outfield as well.
Teruaki Sato's profile isn't what the White Sox need right now
Since adding Murakami, White Sox fans have undoubtedly begun scouting other Japanese players the team could pursue, but I don’t think Sato is the ideal fit. His profile is quite similar to Murakami, and he’d be a bit redundant in the White Sox lineup. While Murakami struck out at a 29.8% clip in his final two seasons in Japan, Sato’s mark was 27%. It’s a little bit lower, but still elevated, and Murakami’s jumped to 35.4% in his first season in the big leagues. If Sato took a similar jump, he’d end up well over 30% with his strikeout rate, giving the White Sox another power-oriented strikeout hitter alongside Murakami and Colson Montgomery. Sato doesn’t have the history of plate discipline and walks Murakami has, so he’ll have a hard time balancing out those strikeouts.
There are also questions about his position. If Sato is a third baseman, the White Sox don’t really have a place for him to play given the presence of Miguel Vargas. They’d have to believe he can be a strong enough defender to hold down a corner outfield spot, but he’s only played 45 games in the outfield in the past four seasons combined.
Sato is slightly more athletic than Murakami and has slightly better contact rates, but their profiles are similar enough that adding Sato would make me fear how redundant the lineup is. I think the White Sox are better off pursuing someone like Randy Arozarena, Seiya Suzuki, or even Ian Happ, to fill their need in the outfield.
There will certainly be other players from Japan worth pursuing– Sato’s Hanshin Tigers teammate Shota Morishita could also be posted this offseason and has a very intriguing blend of contact and power– but Sato isn’t the way to go if I were a White Sox executive. I’d like to see the White Sox make upgrades to their outfield and their rotation and be aggressive. How much money they’re willing to spend, however, remains to be seen.
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