Sports · Baseball · 3 hrs ago
Three Japanese players eligible to negotiate with MLB teams
MLB made three Japanese players eligible to negotiate with its teams through the posting system: Hanshin infielder Teruaki Sato, Seibu pitcher Kaima Taira and Nippon Ham pitcher Hiromi Itoh.
The 30 MLB teams can negotiate with them if they are willing to pay a transfer fee to their Japanese clubs.
The process gives players a route to move from Japan’s professional baseball league to MLB.
Sato won Japan’s Triple Crown this season, while Taira and Itoh each won major pitching awards.
Negotiations are scheduled to last 45 days, starting November 2 in US Eastern Time.
The deadline could move up to December 1 if MLB has not agreed on a new labor contract by then.
MLB has notified all 30 teams that Hiromi Itoh, Kaima Taira and Teruaki Sato are eligible to negotiate for contracts.
The three Japanese players are seeking moves from Nippon Professional Baseball through the posting system.
Their 45-day negotiation period is set to begin November 2, U.S. Eastern time.
The period could end earlier on December 1 if a new MLB labor agreement is not reached.
Itoh won the Sawamura Award in 2025, while Sato and Taira earned major NPB honors in 2026.
- Who
- Hiromi Itoh, Kaima Taira and Teruaki Sato, players from Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.
- What
- They have been posted and are eligible to negotiate contracts with MLB teams.
- When
- The 45-day negotiation period begins November 2, U.S. Eastern time.
- Where
- They may negotiate with MLB’s 30 teams.
- Why
- They are seeking to move to Major League Baseball through the posting system.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
It was reported that the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters planned to post Itoh during the offseason.
MLB notified all 30 teams that Itoh, Taira and Sato were eligible to negotiate.
The 45-day negotiation period was scheduled to begin in U.S. Eastern time.
The negotiation period could be cut short if a new MLB labor agreement is not reached.
- Players
- Hiromi Itoh, Kaima Taira and Teruaki Sato
- Eligible teams
- All 30 MLB clubs
- Negotiation period
- 45 days
- Start
- November 2, 2026, U.S. Eastern time
- Possible earlier deadline
- December 1, 2026
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The 45-day negotiating window for the three NPB players will expire at 5 pm (ET). But keep in mind that if there is a lockout on Dec. 1 at 11:59 pm there can be no MLB signings beyond that until a new CBA is signed. The negotiating window for Roh will expire on Dec. 1st at 5 p.m.