Boston Red Sox
Teruaki Sato slashed .306/.383/.609 with 40 doubles, 39 home runs, and 106 RBI this past season in Japan.
Sato slugged 39 home runs this past season. AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File
If the Red Sox want to take another step forward after back-to-back playoff exits in the Wild-Card round, Craig Breslow and his staff will need to add power to Boston’s lineup.
The Red Sox closed out the 2026 season ranked 23rd in baseball in runs scored (689) and 26th in home runs (163).
Those offensive woes led to a brief postseason appearance in the Bronx once again — with Boston outscored, 18-2, and outhit, 26-7, in that two-game series.
While the Red Sox are banking on stronger returns from a healthy Roman Anthony and Curtis Mead, Boston could still use another impact bat or two to protect against regression or other unexpected injury woes.
Short-term options like Seiya Suzuki or Brandon Lowe could satisfy those needs for the Red Sox during this offseason.
But if Boston wants a more long-term pickup — and a player with a higher ceiling than those free-agent targets — could the Red Sox hone in on reigning Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) MVP Teruaki Sato?
The 27-year-old Sato entered MLB’s posting system this week, meaning that the former Hanshin Tigers star will be available to teams to sign as a free agent between now and Dec. 16.
“I think a team looking for a first baseman, outfielder, or a third baseman, they can get in on him… he is a legitimate guy.”#MLBTonight reacts to Teruaki Sato entering the MLB posting system and which teams could potentially target the talented hitter. pic.twitter.com/FFrAibEpWS
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 3, 2026
Sato took home the Triple Crown in NPB this past season and should be the favorite to win his second straight MVP with the Tigers.
In 143 games with Hanshin this past season, Sato slashed .306/.383/.609 with 40 doubles, 39 home runs, and 106 RBI. The left-handed slugger primarily plays third base, but has also logged games as a corner outfielder.
While the Red Sox currently have Caleb Durbin at the hot corner, Sato could be utilized across the diamond for Boston, be it at third, first, DH, or some games in left field.
The DH spot would make the most sense for him with the Red Sox, with his defensive versatility allowing him to spell players like Willson Contreras or Anthony when needed.
Of course, the primary question for any player coming from NPB is whether that production will carry over to MLB.
Even with his pop at the plate overseas, Sato has a few red flags — especially a 26.7 percent strikeout rate.
Boston already struggled with high whiff rates this past year, so Sato could be cut from a very similar cloth, even with his potential pop.
There have been plenty of parallels between Sato and former NPB slugger Munetaka Murakami, who had a tepid market this past offseason because of his high strikeout rates.
Sure enough, Murakami struck out plenty in his first year with the White Sox, whiffing 196 times in 127 games (454 at-bats).
But he also slugged 35 home runs, drove in 77 runs, and posted a .347 on-base percentage — offering some real value to a Chicago team that ultimately signed him to a two-year, $34 million contract.
Even though Sato might rack up the strikeouts, Baseball America’s Geoff Pontes noted in his scouting report of the NPB MVP that he “could hit 30-plus home runs right away in MLB” — although his walk rate in 2026 (11.1 percent) was lower than Murakami (14.3 percent) in his final year in Japan in 2025.
Still, there is always a risk in banking on NPB stats translating to MLB — especially when factoring in the potential contract Sato might command.
The Athletic’s Keith Law predicted that Sato would command “at least $25 million” annually over a four- or five-year deal.
Sato could potentially address a critical need for the Red Sox, but it remains to be seen whether Boston has the appetite to sign him to a five-year, $125 million deal — especially if a player like Jake Bauers could be available for a cheaper, shorter-term contract.
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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