*This content was translated by AI.
Sato Teruaki (27, Hanshin Tigers), a "monster hitter" who was also selected for the World Baseball Classic (WBC) Japanese national team in March by dominating the Japanese professional baseball (NPB) stage with 40 home runs in the 2025 season, is in head-to-head conflict with the club, showing his strong will to advance to the Major League (MLB). During the salary negotiation process, they are demanding that the posting clause be documented after the end of the 2026 season.
According to local media such as Japan's Sankei Shimbun on the morning of the 20th, Sato demanded that the contract specify a "posting system permit clause" that guarantees the right to challenge the Major League after the end of the 2026 season in salary negotiations with Hanshin. Negotiations between the two sides entered a protracted phase when Sato refused to sign the club's offer.
Sato, who made his debut in the NPB's first division in the 2021 season, hit 40 home runs in the 2025 season and won the Central League MVP, standing tall as Japan's best shot in name and reality. He was also named in the WBC national team in March. He hit 124 homers in 660 games in five NPB seasons. He also hit a three-run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Tokyo Dome in March last year.
From Sato's point of view, it is the player's judgment that now is the right time to advance to the big league after peaking with a career high. Sato said, "We will put everything into winning the team this season, but after the end of the season, please open the way for us to go out toward our dreams." It is also because WBC, the stage of "Showcase," is also ahead.
Hanshin club naturally cannot hide its embarrassment. Sato is a key hitter among the core of the team's lineup. This is because Sato's departure is tantamount to losing half of his power. The club is reportedly avoiding a definite answer, saying, "We need careful discussion about sending the team's iconic player to the posting."
Currently, major players such as Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LA Dodgers) and Shota Imanaga (Chicago Cubs) are heading to the United States one after another through posting in NPB. Ahead of the 2026 season, Kazuma Okamoto (30) and Munetaka Murakami (26) also joined the Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago White Sox through the posting system, respectively.
In order to join the ranks, Sato also seems to have made multiples with "a commitment to the big leagues" as the top priority of negotiations rather than annual salary. As Sato maintains a strong attitude, saying, "Please allow it after the season," the crippled operation is expected to be inevitable if an agreement cannot be reached before the upcoming spring camp.
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*This content was translated by AI.
