The New York Yankees have an issue at third base.

Ryan McMahon can no longer be counted on to play excellent defense after having -3 defensive runs saved in 2026. 

McMahon also offered little at the plate, finishing with a .213 batting average and 76 OPS+. 

General manager Brian Cashman may be looking for replacements this offseason, and a Triple Crown winner from Nippon Professional Baseball could be a suitable fit. 

Teruaki Sato won the NPB Triple Crown with the Hanshin Tigers, hitting .306/.383/.609 with 39 home runs and 106 RBIs.  

"With 164 strikeouts and a 26.7 percent strikeout rate, he possesses some of the same swing-and-miss concerns that ultimately limited Munetaka Murakami's market last winter.

"However, given Murakami's success and Sato's more valuable defensive profile, his earning power might not face the same limitations," Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter wrote. 

A $120 million contract may be more than what the Yankees are looking to spend for a third baseman, unless they can get McMahon's $16 million off the books without eating money. Still, that's the contract Reuter has predicted for Sato. 

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"The six-year, $113 million deal that Jung Hoo Lee signed with the Giants looks like a logical starting point for Sato's market.

"While he is two years older than Lee was when he made the move stateside, the glaring lack of impact bats available this winter should give him a nice boost," Reuter wrote. 

With 17 years without a World Series title, the Yankees should be doing their best to build a championship-caliber team. Signing Sato could be a step in the right direction. 

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