JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK | Teruaki Sato is Having a Superb Season for Hanshin - MLB

Teruaki Sato is having a career-best season for the Hanshin Tigers.

Sato leads NPB‘s Central League in the three offensive categories that make up the vaunted Triple Crown.

He is the runaway leader in batting with a .321 average. Teammate Shota Morishita is second at .301.

What’s more, the 27-year-old power-hitting third baseman has belted 34 homers in 2026, three more than Morishita.

Sato, who was born in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, the same city where the Tigers play their games at iconic Koshien Stadium, also has a CL-best 91 RBIs. Yomiuri Giants slugger Bobby Dalbec and Morishita are tied for second (73).

“There’s still a long way to go. I want to stay focused on every single at-bat,” Sato said recently, according to Nikkan Sports.

As the season heads into its final stretch, Sato is in prime position to lock up the Triple Crown.

Of greater importance, of course, for Sato and his Tigers teammates, is their postseason aspirations.

Hanshin (69-51-1) sits atop the CL standings. Manager Kyuji Fujikawa’s club has 22 games remaining this season.

Teruaki Sato has smacked 74 regular-season homers since the start of the 2025 NPB season. (©SANKEI)

MLB Teams Paying Attention

Teruaki Sato is the reigning Central League MVP. In 2025, his fifth pro season, Sato eclipsed his previous career-high totals in the three aforementioned categories. He finished with a solid .277 batting average and led the CL in homers (40) and RBIs (102), helping the Tigers win the pennant and advance to the Japan Series. (The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks won the five-game championship series.)

During the 2026 World Baseball Classic, Sato hit .300 in five games for Samurai Japan. He smacked three doubles in 10 at-bats and knocked in two runs.

The talented player is a well-known figure in the baseball world, attracting plenty of attention from fans and the media in his homeland. He’s also raised his profile internationally over the past two seasons.

MLB scouts and front-office executives are actively following Sato’s performances on offense and defense for Hanshin.

David Stearns, the New York Mets’ president of baseball operations, was in attendance at the Tigers’ road game against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows on Thursday at Jingu Stadium.

The aspiring MLB player made a strong impression, clouting homers in the third and fifth innings to raise his season total to 34. And Sato’s 3-for-4 effort at the plate with four RBIs helped carry the Tigers to a 7-4 win.

“I hit a cutter,” Sato said of his fifth-inning blast, according to Sankei Sports. He added, “I was focused on sticking to my swing, so I’m glad I was able to make good contact. I’ll keep giving it my all until the very end to help us win games.”

Hanshin Tigers third baseman Teruaki Sato, the reigning Central League MVP, is in his sixth NPB season. (©SANKEI)

An International Prospect

In addition to the Mets, New York Post baseball insider Jon Heyman has reported that the New York Yankees, the Philadelphia Phillies and the Dodgers are among the MLB teams interested in Sato.

Hanshin’s star third baseman is also seen as a potential future first baseman in the majors, according to published reports.

An NPB player can become a free agent after nine seasons. At this stage of Sato’s career, he’s not eligible for free agency. But if the Tigers give him permission, he can pursue a move to the majors via the posting system.

For Teruaki Sato, a move to the majors in 2027 would be hardly surprising.

Ex-Tokyo Yakult Swallows slugger Munetaka Murakami in a September 2022 file photo. (ⒸSANKEI)

Triple Crown Trivia

In NPB, the most recent winner of the Triple Crown was former Tokyo Yakult Swallows dynamo Munetaka Murakami, who led the CL in batting (.318), homers (56) and RBIs (134) in 2022.

A Pacific League player last achieved the feat in 2004. That season, Nobuhiko Matsunaka of the Fukuoka Daiei (now SoftBank) Hawks hit at a .358 clip with 44 round-trippers and 120 RBIs.

Who was the last Hanshin Tiger to win the Triple Crown?

Randy Bass, in 1985 and ’86. The popular American power hitter accomplished the difficult feat for the second straight year with a .389 average, 47 homers and 109 RBIs in 1986.

Ohtani Sidelined with an Assortment of Injuries

Shohei Ohtani was not in the lineup against the visiting St Louis Cardinals on Thursday, September 3 due to right biceps and neck pain. He’s also been plaqued by chronic pain in his left knee.

The Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter also sat out Friday’s series-opening game against the Washington Nationals. And the same was true on Saturday at Dodger Stadium.

On Wednesday, Ohtani went 0-for-4 with a walk and four strikeouts. In his last seven games, he’s hitting .143 (4-for-28) with 12 strikeouts.

“What we saw a couple nights ago wasn’t him, so clearly he was not feeling well,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Friday, according to The Associated Press.

Roberts said Ohtani needs some rest to improve his physical condition.

According to published reports, the dugout boss has discussed the issue with Ohtani and the team’s trainers.

“He wants to be out there, wants to play,” Roberts told reporters at Dodger Stadium. “But he’s understanding that whatever decision we make is in the best interest for him and the team.”

Japan point guard Rui Machida shoots a jumper against Germany in a FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup group phase match on September 5 in Berlin. (©FIBA)

Basketball

Germany Routs Japan at Women’s World Cup

Japan slipped to 1-1 at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup with a 74-58 loss to host Germany on Saturday, September 5 in Berlin.

Germany outscored Japan 28-11 in the first quarter and 24-10 in the third quarter.

After making a Women’s Basketball World Cup record 20 3-pointers in 35 attempts against Mali on Friday, Japan was 3-for-27 (11%) from beyond the arc versus Germany.

Shooting guard Saki Hayashi canned 9 of 15 3s in Akatsuki Japan’s opener against Mali to set a tourney record. A day after her game-best 27-point performance, Germany held Hayashi to two points, and she only attempted one 3-point shot.

Point guard Kokoro Tanaka paced Japan with 15 points in the loss.

“We came out, and we didn’t come with the right physicality to play against them in this type of atmosphere,” Japan coach Corey Gaines told a news conference.

After trimming the lead to 34-29 by halftime, Japan was unable to maintain that momentum after the intermission.

“In the third quarter, we let them just push us off our spots, push us off getting shots,” Gaines said. “And we’re small already, so we cannot let that happen, and we couldn’t even get shots off. So that really destroyed what we were trying to do.”

Japan faces Spain in its final Group A first-round game on Monday (Tuesday at 12:50 AM JST).

Soccer

Ueda Makes Unforgettable Debut for Lille

Ayase Ueda lifted Lille to a 1-0 away victory over French Ligue 1 rival Toulouse on Thursday, September 3.

Ueda, a second-half substitute, broke the deadlock with a 73rd-minute header, scoring in his Lille debut.

“I’m relieved to have made my presence felt from the first game,” Ueda said, according to Kyodo News.

“Forwards who can finish off that one chance win games for the team,” he added, referring to loose balls in front of the net.

In the 2025-26 season, Ueda exhibited his scoring prowess in the Dutch League, delivering a league-best 25 goals in 31 matches for Feyenoord.

Earlier this week, Ueda signed a four-year contract with Lille.

In the 2026 FIFA World Cup, he had a pair of goals in Japan’s 4-0 group stage win against Tunisia.

FC Machida Zelvia forward Koki Ogawa scores an 81st-minute goal against Kawasaki Frontale on September 2 at Machida Gion Stadium. Zelvia won 2-1. (©SANKEI)

Top Teams in the J.League

The J.League wraps up Week 6 of the new season on Sunday, September 6.

FC Machida Zelvia is the lone remaining unbeaten club in the 20-team league, with four wins and a draw. Manager Go Kuroda’s squad, which has 13 points, meets host Nagoya Grampus (2-0-3) on Sunday.

A pair of clubs sit one point behind Zelvia in the first-division standings. Kashiwa Reysol and the Kashima Antlers have identical 4-0-1 records before Sunday’s action.

Reysol play host to Yokohama F Marinos (2-1-1) on the first Sunday of the month, and the Antlers meet the visiting Urawa Reds (2-0-3).

The Antlers’ Brazilian striker Leo Ceara is the league leader in goals (eight), three more than any other player.

Auto Racing

Tsunoda Continues as Replacement Driver

Yuki Tsunoda, who began the season as a reserve driver for Racing Bulls, finished 11th in his 2026 debut on August 23 in Formula One’s Dutch Grand Prix at Circuit Zandvoort.

Fellow driver Isack Hadjar sustained a recent wrist injury, providing an opportunity for Tsunoda to fill in as replacement driver in F1 races.

Up next: Tsunoda will line up on the track for the Italian Grand Prix in Monza on Sunday, September 6. On Saturday, he finished 17th in qualifying.

Teenager Taito Kato Drives to Win

In other news, teenager Taito Kato won the first Formula 3 race of his career on Saturday.

The 18-year-old Mie Prefecture native, who races for the ART Grand Prix team, jumped from ninth place to first to claim victory in the Monza Sprint Race.

After earning a podium finish for the first time since the season-opening F3 feature race in Melbourne, Australia, Kato said he and his racing team were frustrated with race results in recent weeks.

“So it’s quite a long time ago,” Kato said of the 23-lap main race race in Melbourne on March 8. “But I still remember how to drive to the win. It’s incredible. I’m speechless.”

He added, “The car was amazing all the race. I just want to say thank you to my team and my engineers, my mechanics [and] all the fans. It’s a lot of effort. There is a lot of support [for] me, and I’m really grateful to drive in Monza.”

Quotes of the Week

“Sensei Yoshimi Masaki’s lifelong commitment to judo leaves an enduring legacy. A highly accomplished judoka and a respected coach, his passion for judo was evident throughout his distinguished career. His remarkable contribution to the development of judo in Japan, both on the tatami and through his work as a mentor will be remembered with the greatest respect and appreciation.”

―Marius Vizer, president of the International Judo Federation, pays tribute to Yoshimi Masaki, the open-weight division world champion in 1985. Masaki passed away on August 30 at age 64.

“Even when it’s not clutch time, I always play believing that if I attack aggressively, it will definitely create openings for the players around me.”

―Japan women’s national team point guard Kokoro Tanaka, on her mindset as an offensive playmaker. Tanaka made her FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup debut on September 4, contributing 18 points and seven assists against Mali.

Author: Ed Odeven

Follow Ed’s [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and he can be found on X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.

JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK | Teruaki Sato is Having a Superb Season for Hanshin

Tags: