Sato, Taira, Itoh and Roh Enter MLB Bidding Windows

Three Japanese pitchers and one infielder, along with a South Korean bat, are now in the Major League Baseball posting system. The four players are eligible to sign with American teams starting today. The Japanese contingent includes Hanshin Tigers third baseman Teruaki Sato, Saitama Seibu Lions right-hander Kaima Taira, and Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters right-hander Hiromi Itoh. South Korea’s Hanwha Eagles infielder Si-Hwan Roh is also in the mix. Teams can sign the Japanese players until December 16. The window for Roh closes on December 1.

Sato, 27, finished the season hitting .306 with 39 home runs and 106 runs batted in. Those numbers secured the Central League Triple Crown. He also took home the league MVP award in 2025, when he batted .277 with 40 homers. Sato played for Japan in the World Baseball Classic this year, going 3 for 10 with two RBIs.

Taira, who turns 27 on November 15, returned to the starting rotation this year. He posted a 12-5 record and led the Japanese major leagues with a 1.36 earned run average. In 2025, he recorded 31 saves.

Itoh, 29, won the 2025 Sawamura Award, the Japanese equivalent of the Cy Young. He finished with a 10-10 record and a 3.18 ERA in 172 two-thirds innings. He struck out 159 batters. Itoh helped Japan win the gold medal at the 2021 Olympics, pitching five scoreless innings across three games. He also appeared for Japan in this year’s World Baseball Classic.

Roh, 25, is a right-handed hitter who batted .283 this season. He hit 25 home runs and drove in 96 runs.

The posting fee structure is set by agreements between MLB, Nippon Professional Baseball, and the Korea Baseball Organization. Teams pay 20% of the first $25 million of a contract. That includes earned bonuses and options. The rate drops to 17.5% for the next $25 million. Any amount over $50 million incurs a 15% fee. A supplemental fee of 15% applies to earned bonuses, salary escalators, and exercised options. The deadline to sign is 5 p.m. EST on the final day of each player’s posting period.

MLB is expected to lock out the players’ union when their collective bargaining agreement expires on December 1. During the 2021-2022 lockout, posted players were frozen until a deal was reached on March 10. The signing windows then continued once the work stoppage ended.