Teruaki Sato Could Help Yankees Solve Ongoing Ryan McMahon Concerns

Ryan McMahon has another year with the Yankees after the 2026 MLB season, and it's hard to see them not making an attempt to upgrade third base this winter, considering how much he has struggled since being traded over. He's essentially being paid $16 million a year to be a defensive specialist.

One potential target that the Yankees can look to elevate themselves at the hot corner is Japanese slugger Teruaki Sato.

Sato would not only address third base but also get them back in the market to land Nippon Professional Baseball stars. Not since Masahiro Tanaka in January 2014 have the Yankees made that type of splash. They have either whiffed on or ignored the likes of Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Munetaka Murakami.

According to a report by MLB insider Jon Heyman, the Yankees are among the teams linked to Sato, with the Mets the main suitors so far.

"Like Munetaka Murakami, who's thrived at 1B slugging for the White Sox, Sato, a former Central League MVP with a 1.026 OPS, has 'good pop' but is 'questionable' at 3B, via scouts," Heyman reported on Thursday. "The Yankees, Dodgers and Phillies also are linked to Sato."

Teruaki Sato runs after an HR. — The Yankees are interested in Teruaki Sato, but do they have what it takes to beat his other suitors to the punch? | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If the Yankees want to officially put their McMahon-shaped ones behind them, they must put their best foot forward to sign Sato before it's too late.

Sato's numbers paint a picture the Yankees can't ignore

It isn't hard to see how Sato would be an immediate upgrade over McMahon.

Last season, Sato was one of the NPB's more prolific hitters. He hit .317/.403/.620 with a 205 wRC+. He hit 27 home runs and 76 RBIs. That came off a 2025 campaign with the Hanshin Tigers, during which he won the Central League MVP. That year, he slashed .277/.345/.579 with 40 home runs, 102 RBIs, and an 182 wRC+.

Jon Heyman listed the Yankees as a team linked to 3B Teruaki Sato, the top hitter in the NPB by OPS (1.026).

Sato is expected to come over to MLB after the 2026 season and is currently 27 years old.

.317 AVG | .404 OBP | .622 SLG% | 205 wRC+ pic.twitter.com/oUjQrku5Wq
— Fireside Yankees (@FiresideYankees) August 14, 2026

Fans in the United States most recently saw him at the World Baseball Classic, where, in five games for Samurai Japan, he went 3-for-10. He had a double and three walks.

Of course, it's fair to be skeptical of whether the Yankees will even go out and land Sato. They're frequently linked to NPB stars, and it's been 12 years since they went out and even made the splash for one. It would be shocking if the Yankees were even the finalists for Sato's services since they always seem to be in those early reports but never land the plane on a deal.

Sato could be an opportunity to make that happen and be the first NPB star in pinstripes since Tanaka. The Yankees need to get back into that market, seeing as it has been well over a decade since their last big splash. The fact that signing him would help turn the page on McMahon is an added bonus.

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