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The Yankees should take a serious look at Teruaki Sato. The Yankees’ current third baseman, Ryan McMahon, has given them little reason to consider third base settled for 2026. McMahon could bounce back, but going into another season counting on that could be a risky gamble.
Sato is a 27-year-old infielder playing in the Central League of Nippon Professional Baseball. The Hanshin Tigers posted Sato on Nov. 1, making him available for negotiations with MLB teams, and the Yankees should consider him.
Sato Has a Bat Worth Considering
Sato finished 2026 with a .306 average, 39 home runs and 106 RBIs, according to NPB’s official statistics. He also reached base at a .383 clip.
His 2025 season included 40 home runs, meaning the power has been consistent for two straight years. He followed his 40-home-run season by raising his batting average from .277 to .306 and increasing his walks from 57 to 68. Those improvements give the Yankees something to consider beyond the home run total. Sato was reaching base more often while still providing power.
Expecting him to repeat those numbers in MLB would be asking a lot, but he would not have to match those stats exactly to help New York.
McMahon Has Left an Opening
McMahon hit .213 with 11 home runs in 2026. His .279 on-base percentage was another problem. Most of the time, his spot in the order gave the Yankees little to work with. There is a case for giving a player time to recover from a bad year. There also has to be a point when a team considers another option.
The Yankees will evaluate that point with McMahon this winter. His presence on the roster should not stop them from looking at Sato.
Sato’s Strikeouts Could Be Trouble
Sato’s problem is his contact. Sato struck out 164 times in 614 plate appearances in 2026, or about 26.7%. He produced despite those strikeouts in Japan. Whether or not he can do the same against MLB pitching is less certain.
McMahon struck out 106 times in 360 plate appearances, roughly 29.4%. The Yankees already have a third baseman who struggles to make contact.
Those rates come from different leagues, so they do not prove Sato would strike out less with the Yankees. These numbers show that if the Yankees choose to ignore him over strikeouts, that would be a mistake. The Yankees should find out what signing Sato would take. His price and defensive fit are still important, but McMahon’s struggles have given them a reason to consider a change. Sato has done enough to be part of that conversation.
The post Should The New York Yankees Pursue Teruaki Sato? appeared first on The Lead.
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/york-yankees-pursue-teruaki-sato-162330168.html
