Mets Made Japan Trip To Scout Slugging Lefty From NPB

Free agency rumors are heating up for the New York Mets after news of President of Baseball Operations David Stearns’ scouting trip to Japan. According to Chelsea Janes of SNY, Stearns made the trip as soon as the Mets’ season ended.

The trip was made to watch Japanese outfielder Teruaki Sato play for the Hanshin Tigers. The urgency to see one of NPB’s biggest stars suggests the Mets have serious interest in the third baseman/outfielder, whose landing spot will be one of the biggest storylines of this winter’s free agency.

Sato, 27, is coming off his best season yet in the NPB, posting a .306/.383/.609 slash line with an OPS just a few ticks under 1.000. He smashed 39 home runs and 40 doubles while driving in 106 runs for the Tigers last season, making him one of the most sought-after position players in free agency.

The Tigers announced they approved the posting of Sato earlier this month. As the Triple Crown winner of the Central League last season, Sato’s left-handed bat was sure to attract the eyes of the front offices across MLB. After the recent reports of Stearns’ trip to Japan, Mets fans can rest assured they are included in that list of interested teams.

New York’s current outfield consists of two rising stars, Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing, who are coming off stellar rookie campaigns. Superstar Juan Soto can fill the other corner outfield position, but his strength comes at the plate, not in the outfield.

After Sato’s posting on October 19th, MLB teams have a 45-day window to negotiate a deal with the Japanese star, making the deadline to get a deal done by the third of December.

Much like last winter’s Japanese star, Munetaka Murakami, Sato displays raw power with the side effect of big strikeout totals. Luckily for Sato, Murakami excelled in his first season in the MLB, smashing 35 home runs and posting a 130 OPS+. Murakami’s success despite his strikeout percentage is sure to ease the minds of Sato suitors, who some see as the best position player in this free agent class.

New York had a record of just 74-88 in 2026, enough to finish at the bottom of the NL East. While there are many other areas of concern to address on the roster than corner outfield, you can’t help but fantasize about what an outfield with Sato’s addition would look like at Citi Field. If Stearns and the Mets are serious, which it seems they are, they’ll have to act fast to lock down one of the most coveted players this winter.