Are “Trade Negotiations” for Hanshin’s Teruaki Sato Gaining Momentum Behind the Scenes!?… Agent May Hold “Discussions with the Team” Around the Time of the All-Star Game

“Ten Major League Teams Are Keeping a Close Eye on Him”

Hanshin Tigers infielder Teruaki Sato (27), who has been selected via fan voting (third baseman category) for the “Mynavi All-Star Game” for the second consecutive year and fifth time overall, is reportedly engaged in behind-the-scenes negotiations regarding a potential move to Major League Baseball.

On July 7, in a game against the Giants, he set a new team record by recording 50 RBIs for the sixth consecutive year since his rookie season. Looking at the league as a whole, this marks the seventh time such a feat has been achieved since the draft system was introduced, following players like Tatsunori Hara (67), Kazuhiro Kiyohara (58), and Yoshinobu Takahashi (51).

“While he has 16 home runs—six fewer than his rival Shota Morishita (25)—he continues to lead the league in batting average and RBIs.“My form started to slip during the Interleague games, and from June 30 to July 5, my batting average hovered in the .200s, but Teru is a player who excels in the summer. He should pick up his form from here on out. For a Hanshin player, winning the Triple Crown—something not seen since Randy Bass (72)—is certainly not a pipe dream,” said a former team player.

However, what Sato-Teru is dreaming of isn’t the Triple Crown in NPB, but a move to Major League Baseball.

“He’s already signed with an agent. It’s said that his agent’s influence was a factor in his unwavering stance last offseason, when he insisted the team approve a posting transfer.The situation escalated to the point where Sato-teru himself—who had been delaying contract negotiations—was forced to hold press conferences to explain himself, and there were even hints that he might have to pay his own way to attend spring training. Although an agreement was finally reached and a contract signed in late January, the issue has merely been postponed.

Even since the season began, it’s said that every time Satoteru travels to Tokyo for away games, he meets with his agent and others to exchange views on the best time to be traded and the current market. About 10 teams, including the Dodgers and the Yankees, are already keeping a close eye on him, and he’s suddenly very motivated.“It is expected that Sato’s agent will meet with the team around the time of Game 1 of the All-Star Game, to be held at Tokyo Dome on July 28, to conduct preliminary negotiations toward securing approval for a posting transfer,” said a sports newspaper reporter covering the Tigers.

Not only the team’s front office but also the parent company is firmly determined to prevent Sato-teru from leaving, and it is said they will not approve a transfer until he becomes eligible for overseas free agency in 2029…

“Everything hinges on the development of Masahiro Tateishi (22), the first-round draft pick who is the leading candidate to succeed him at third base. Tateishi made his professional debut on May 19, recording his first professional hit, home run, and RBI.However, he was dominated by Pacific League pitchers during the interleague games, his batting fell apart, and he has been ordered to return to the farm team for readjustment. ‘The sooner Tateishi starts performing well, the sooner Teru’s transfer might happen,’” (team official)

To make his dream a reality, he must first become a key player in the team’s quest for its first-ever back-to-back league championships.