Since Japanese players began coming to MLB, the Boston Red Sox have found success with a few big names. Among them, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Koji Uehara, while Masataka Yoshida is currently still under contract with the team.
The Red Sox are also a team with some major needs that it needs to fill in its lineup this season. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Jim Bowden of The Athletic named them as one of the best fits for Japanese third baseman Teruaki Sato.
“Sato is set to be the first Japanese position player since Hideki Matsui 23 years ago to win the MVP Award in the Nippon Professional Baseball league and then join an MLB team the next season. Sato won the league’s Triple Crown this year, slashing .306/.383/.609 with 40 doubles, 39 homers and 106 RBIs.”
Sato is a third baseman. That’s a position that has become a bit of a revolving door in recent seasons for the Red Sox, with Caleb Durbin most recently taking over to an up-and-down offensive season. That shouldn’t stop the Red Sox from pursuing Sato, though, given that both he and Durbin should have some positional versatility.
“Some teams believe he can stay at third base; others see him as best suited for first base or left field. Either way, the bat profiles for the middle of the order. I think he stays at third base initially and would be a perfect fit for teams like the Phillies, Red Sox, Angels and Yankees, which leads me to believe this will end up being a big-market bidding war.”
Notably, Bowden also predicted that Sato would end up with a contract worth five years and $180 million. That would put him in the same range as Alex Bregman or Matt Chapman.
What to Know About Potential Boston Red Sox Target Teruaki Sato
Now 27 years old, Teruaki Sato currently plays for the Hanshin Tigers in the NPB. He’s been with the Tigers since he made his NPB debut back in 2021.
During his time in the NPB, Sato has won a Central League MVP, which he won in 2025, and a Triple Crown, which he won in 2026. Other honors have included being a five-time All-Star, winner of the Central League Baseball Nine Award, and winner Central League Mitsui Golden Glove Award.
In 803 career NPB games, Sato is hitting .271 with an .851 OPS. He has 163 home runs and 518 RBIs.
Along with his time in the NPB, Sato has also played internationally for Japan. That included in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. He had a 1.017 OPS for the tournament.
The Yankees Could be Competition for the Red Sox
The other team that Jim Bowden pointed out would be one of the best fits for Teruaki Sato would be the New York Yankees. That, of course, could prove to be an issue for the Boston Red Sox and CBO Craig Breslow.
At the Trade Deadline, the Red Sox got into a bit of a bidding war with the Yankees for catcher Adley Rutschman. The Red Sox won the war, but likely overpaid for an often injured catcher, even if he’s an All-Star when healthy.
The Red Sox run the risk of that happening again in the case of Sato. That could lead to another overpay, this time in the form of a contract.
Worse, the Red Sox could also lose out on Sato entirely. Instead, they’d have to see him whenever they take on their rival while both teams are trying to get over the hump.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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