The New York Mets are being urged to land the marquee name coming out of Japan this winter, as Hanshin Tigers star Teruaki Sato will be the name teams will be pursuing should he be posted by the Japanese club.
In the last two seasons, Sato’s power and run production have skyrocketed as he hit 40 home runs in 2025 and 39 home runs in 2026 during the regular season, per NPB—moreover, the 27-year-old produced 102 RBI in 2025 and 106 RBI in 2026.
Sato’s batting average also took a jump from 2025, when he hit .277, to .306 this regular season. He’s also been durable during this impressive two-year offensive stretch, playing 139 regular-season games in 2025 and 143 games in 2026.
Furthermore, SNY’s Sal Licata highlighted another reason the Mets should go all in on landing Sato this offseason, pointing to the entertainment value he could bring alongside his offensive potential.
“I like that idea because I wanted [Munetaka] Murakami last year,” Licata said on the Oct. 12 edition of “Baseball Night in New York.” “There’s an unknown element, but it’s also an entertaining, exciting element. Look at what Murakami could be.
“I’m not saying he’s going to be a Hall of Fame hitter here, but [Sato] hits with power. He strikes out a ton, but he’s a fun, exciting player. They could use that entertainment.”
Mets Could Use Teruaki Sato’s Offense In Their Lineup
Meanwhile, in that same segment, John Harper also believed that the Mets need to go all in for Sato, although he focused on the offense he could bring to the New York’s lineup along with the potential star power.
“Sato did win the Triple Crown in Japan, so he hit over .300,“ Harper added. “He strikes out a lot, too, but he’s going to strike out in the big leagues. There’s a big question with Murakami. The word got out that he couldn’t hit high velocity, but apparently he hit it well enough.
“If you win the Triple Crown over there, you’ve got to be a big-time player. He’s got the power, he’s got the numbers. I think you’ve got to try and get him. He’s going to bring a little bit of star power.”
Insider on New York Potentially Pursuing Teruaki Sato
Meanwhile, SNY MLB Insider Chelsea Janes recently shared her thoughts on the Mets pursuing Sato. For Janes, the key domino in how aggressively David Stearns, the president of baseball operations, pursues the Japanese star is what happens with Bo Bichette.
“From what I’ve heard, the defense is a bigger concern than anything,“ Janes said in a Sept. 10 video from SNY’s YouTube channel. “It’s a lot of raw talent, but I think he could help. I just don’t know how much help the Mets feel like they need.
“Now, again, this changes if Bo Bichette is gone because then you’ve got questions at both corners, and those are the places you really need to find bats. You can maybe absorb an underperforming offensive player at second base, but you can not know what you’re getting at first and not know what you’re getting at third. So maybe he comes more into play in that scenario.”
Mets Given Clear Reason to Pursue Japanese Slugger Teruaki Sato