Two top Japanese players, Itoh and Sato, are set to be posted for MLB next offseason despite not yet being free agents.

Right-handed pitcher Hiromi Itoh and third baseman/outfielder Teruaki Sato are expected to be posted by their Nippon Professional Baseball teams for MLB next offseason. Itoh, 29, won the 2025 Sawamura Award with a 2.87 ERA and 21.73% strikeout rate over 828 innings, while Sato, 27, hit .277/.345/.579 with 40 home runs, earning Central League MVP and a Gold Glove. Both players are not yet eligible for free agency, requiring early posting approval. A potential MLB lockout starting December 1, 2026, could delay their moves, though past labor issues haven’t stopped Japanese players from joining MLB.