The 27-year-old left-handed hitter finished the 2026 season with a .306 batting average, 39 home runs and 106 RBIs. AM New York reported that he hit .306/.383/.609 across 143 games. He had won the Central League MVP award in 2025 after hitting 40 home runs with 102 RBIs.
Those numbers give interested clubs a substantial recent record to examine. They still have to decide how his bat and defensive role would fit their roster. Sato has played primarily at third base and has also worked in the outfield; a club's interest does not establish the position he would play in MLB.
The posting system gives an eligible player a limited period to negotiate after his Japanese club formally makes him available. The signing club also owes the Japanese team a release fee calculated from the value of the contract. Permission to pursue that process is an earlier step than reaching an agreement.
AM New York's Joe Pantorno reported that Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns scouted Sato in Japan this season. That is evidence of evaluation, not an offer or an agreement. Sato's destination and contract remain unsettled.
