How Japanese Infielder Teruaki Sato Could Fit the 2027 Mets

With the Mets having a few key positional needs to address over the winter, David Stearns has to keep an open mind to potential solutions. With the Mets having questions at both first base and third if Bo Bichette opts out, finding a player who could cover both spots would make a lot of sense.

That player may well be Japanese star Teruaki Sato, whom baseball insider Jon Heyman notes that the Mets are "scouting and considering" ahead of the offseason. Sato took home NPB Central League MVP honors in 2025 with a 40-home run campaign and is batting .318 so far this season with 27 home runs.

Per @JonHeyman, the Mets are "scouting and considering" Japanese infielder Teruaki Sato, who could come to MLB this offseason.

Sato, 27, was named the 2025 NPB Central League MVP after hitting 40 home runs for the Hanshin Tigers. He is hitting .318 with 27 home runs so far this… pic.twitter.com/2ZpikkEbe8
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) August 14, 2026

Considering the lack of power the Mets have on the infield right now, it makes sense for Sato to be a consideration for them in the offseason. Stearns has taken multiple scouting trips to Japan in the past, and no doubt has kept an eye on Sato, who could be posted by the Hanshin Tigers in the offseason.

How Teruaki Sato could fit the 2027 Mets

The situation with Sato feels a bit similar to that of Munetaka Murakami, a slugging third baseman who was projected by most MLB teams to be a first baseman. Teams found ways to talk themselves out of signing Murakami, paving the way for him to go on to be an MLB All-Star for a first-place White Sox team, which could benefit Sato as teams reconsider their scouting projections after that big miss.

Heyman indicates in his report on Sato that the assumption is that Bichette will opt in to his contract, which would make first base the spot the Mets could use Sato for. There aren't a lot of great internal options at first for the Mets right now, who have been using Jared Young there every day while Jorge Polanco has been limited to designated hitter duty thanks to lingering Achilles' tendon issues.

Banking on Polanco to assume first base responsibilities next season is very iffy with his track record. Young, while being an adequate performer with more playing time this season, is also better suited for being a platoon player off the bench instead of a primary option if the Mets hope to contend in 2027.

The other infielders on the roster, including Brett Baty and Gabriel Arias, don't profile as everyday first base types either. Mark Vientos is also trying to work his way back from a hand injury, but his prolonged audition at first earlier in the year did not go well, so the Mets likely will pivot away from him as a significant part of their 2027 plans.

While Sato would appear to be a perfect fit for the Mets' needs, they won't be the other team pursuing him. Heyman has also linked the Dodgers, Phillies and Yankees to Sato, so the Mets may need to win a bidding war if they deem Sato as their best potential solution to their first base problem.

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