The Chicago White Sox were one of the bigger surprises across baseball this past season, with the team getting into the playoffs.
Chicago finished the year as the final wild-card team in the American League, going from the bottom of the standings to the postseason. The White Sox even won a playoff series, knocking out the Houston Astros in the wild-card round.
This team took a 2-0 lead over the rival Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS, but they couldn’t finish the job, losing in five games. However, the 2026 season was a real success for the White Sox, and now the team is entering a big offseason.
White Sox Linked to Teruaki Sato
As Chicago gets ready for the offseason, the team could be one of the main suitors to go after NPB star Teruaki Sato. Chicago won the sweepstakes to sign Munetaka Murakami last season, and this team could go after Sato this time.
MLB analyst Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report listed top landing spots for the NPB star, with the White Sox coming in at No. 3. Chicago was named among massive markets such as the New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, and New York Yankees.
“In theory, they have plenty of room in the budget to sign Sato. The White Sox had an Opening Day payroll north of $180M in each of 2022 and 2023, but their projected payroll for next spring is just $121M, even after adding Luis Castillo’s bloated contract at the trade deadline.
“The White Sox also have a need at designated hitter, unless they think the fifth time’s the charm with Andrew Benintendi. He remains under contract for one more season, with a $14.5 million base salary in 2027. But if they’re serious about running it back again as a postseason team, the last 20 percent of that dead-weight contract shouldn’t prevent them from pursuing Sato,” Miller wrote.
Sato won the Triple Crown in the NPB this past season, hitting .306 with 39 home runs and 106 RBIs. His power will be a coveted asset around baseball, and any team would be lucky to have him.
Should the White Sox Go After Teruaki Sato?
With the White Sox’s need to add more offense this offseason, going after Sato makes a lot of sense for the team. Sato could provide this group with more power, adding to what Chicago was able to build this year.
One aspect that could hurt the White Sox’s chances is that historically, Chicago has never signed a player for more than $75 million. But if this team really wants Sato, it could change how they have operated in the past.
Having Murakami on the roster could help, giving Sato someone to help ease him into the transition to the United States as well. Sato may prefer to play alongside another Japanese star, and the White Sox can sell him on them being a potential winning team.
Chicago will be looking to add more talent to the roster this coming offseason, and this could be one way to make it happen. After the playoff run, the White Sox have a very bright future, and if the front office can keep building the roster, this team could be a legitimate contender next season.
White Sox Predicted to Land Teruaki Sato in Surprising Offseason Move