Atlanta Braves Urged to Make Move for Japanese Star

Sports Illustrated’s Harrison Smajovits is urging the Atlanta Braves to make a run at Teruaki Sato, and the case he makes is hard to argue with.

Sato won the NPB Central League Triple Crown in 2026 with the Hanshin Tigers, hitting .306 with 39 home runs and 106 RBI across 143 games.

He also posted a .383 on-base percentage, a .609 slugging percentage and a .991 OPS. He has hit 163 home runs over six NPB seasons and has had at least 100 RBIs in back-to-back years.

The Tigers have approved his request to be posted, and the 45-day negotiating window opens after the Japan Series. Sato will likely be in search of a nine-figure contract worth over $100 million.

Smajovits argues the offensive case for Atlanta is straightforward. The Braves need another power bat in the middle of the order, and Sato would join Drake Baldwin and Michael Harris as a left-handed hitter.

As an everyday player, not a platoon option, he would give the lineup another productive hitter they have been missing. He has also played 262 NPB games in the outfield, so left field is a realistic landing spot and would sidestep any positional conflict with Austin Riley at third base.

That conflict is worth talking about regardless. Riley signed a 10-year, $212 million extension in 2022 and has not come close to justifying it over the last two seasons.

He hit .219 with a .654 OPS in 2026, following a similarly disappointing 2025 campaign. From 2021 to 2023 he was one of the best third basemen in the game. That version of Riley has not shown up in two years. Adding Sato to left field while keeping pressure on Riley to rediscover his form is a smart move.

There are some concerns though. The Braves have almost no organizational history with posted Japanese players. 

If Atlanta is going to spend in the posting market, a starting pitcher like Hiromi Itoh might make more sense given the team’s rotation needs. 

Sato’s strikeout rate is also a real concern. He struck out 164 times in 614 plate appearances in 2026. That has the potential to get worse against major-league pitching.

The Braves won the NL East at 94-68 but fell short in October. The lineup needs another bat and Sato could fill it. Whether Atlanta is willing to break from its organizational habits and compete in what is shaping up to be a crowded market for his services is the question.