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Japanese star Teruaki Sato adds fascinating layer to free agency — one ex-Met has seen the upside up close

japanese-star-teruaki-sato-adds-fascinating-layer-to-free-agency-—-one-ex-met-has-seen-the-upside-up-close
Japanese star Teruaki Sato adds fascinating layer to free agency — one ex-Met has seen the upside up close

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Japan's Teruaki Sato hits a double during the eighth inning of a World Baseball Classic game between Japan and Australia, March 8, 2026 in Tokyo.
Japan’s Teruaki Sato hits a double during the eighth inning of a World Baseball Classic game between Japan and Australia, March 8, 2026 in Tokyo. AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko

The Yankees can envision a big-time, lefty-hitting slugger who solves their third base problems. 

The Mets can envision a belated, high-upside replacement for Pete Alonso at first base. 

Some teams will see a middle-of-the-order bat in a free-agent market that has few. Others will see a high-risk player with obvious flaws, including a swing-and-miss issue that was on display even against lesser pitching and a lack of a definitive defensive home. 

How teams project Teruaki Sato, who is 27 and coming off a Triple Crown and MVP season in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league, will be fascinating, given the wide range of outcomes and the dearth of other available options. 

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