Yankees and Red Sox could have 'bidding war' for NPB superstar

The New York Yankees may look to upgrade third base this offseason.

A platoon of Ryan McMahon and Jose Caballero might not be good enough for a team with World Series aspirations.

One potential free agent target is a Nippon Professional Baseball superstar who won the NPB Triple Crown.

The Athletic's Jim Bowden listed the Yankees as a top landing spot for Hanshin Tigers third baseman Teruaki Sato, but contending teams like the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies are also listed.

"Some teams believe he can stay at third base; others see him as best suited for first base or left field," Bowden wrote about Sato. "Either way, the bat profiles for the middle of the order.

"I think he stays at third base initially and would be a perfect fit for teams like the Phillies, Red Sox, Angels, and Yankees, which leads me to believe this will end up being a big-market bidding war."

In 2026, Sato hit .306/.383/.609 with 39 home runs and 106 RBIs. Bowden projects he will secure a five-year, $180 million contract.

The Yankees' offense was missing the spark plug it needed without Aaron Judge, and the Red Sox need more power in their lineup.

Boston finished 26th in the Majors with 163 homers during the regular season.

Sato makes sense for both clubs, and his decision could come down to which organization offers the highest contract.