The Philadelphia Phillies are showing interest in Nippon Professional Baseball Triple Crown winner Teruaki Sato, sources told Todd Zolecki of MLB.com.
President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski acknowledged during this week's GM meetings that the Phillies are looking to add an outfielder. He also noted that the veteran-laden team could get younger.
"I'm not necessarily looking for our club to continue to get older," Dombrowski said.
Sato, 27, played third base for the Hanshin Tigers this year. However, he's also logged 262 games in the outfield over his NBP career.
The Phillies haven't managed to land a premier Japanese free agent over the last few years, whiffing on attempts to lure Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
The New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and Toronto Blue Jays have also been connected to Sato throughout the offseason.
Sato hit .306 with 39 homers, 106 RBIs, and a .991 OPS over 143 NBP games in 2026. He's considered one of the best position players available in free agency.
