Baseball: Tigers star Sato shares love for club, fans ahead of MLB posting

Hanshin Tigers' star infielder Teruaki Sato, 27, expressed his deep affection for the club and its fans on Wednesday, just before his anticipated move to Major League Baseball (MLB). Sato, who has been vying for his second consecutive Central League MVP award, won the Triple Crown this season, becoming only the ninth player in Japanese baseball history to achieve this feat. He accomplished this by hitting 39 home runs, amassing 106 RBIs, and maintaining a .306 batting average.

Addressing the media at Koshien Stadium for the first time since Hanshin approved his posting request, Sato emphasized the importance of the team's support throughout his career. Born in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, the same city where Koshien Stadium is located, Sato dedicated six years to the Tigers he grew up supporting.

The crowd's roar at Koshien is the greatest sound in the world, Sato stated, expressing his profound gratitude to the team for nurturing him since his debut. He acknowledged that the fans were always with him, particularly during both the enjoyable and challenging moments, which provided him with the strength to perform at his best. Sato's impact was evident as the Tigers secured back-to-back Central League pennants in 2022 and clinched the Japan Series title in 2023, a championship they hadn't won in 18 years.

Sato's powerful presence resonated even more during the 2023 championship season, with fans' cheers reaching an unprecedented level – the culmination of their first title in almost two decades. As anticipation grows for his upcoming MLB debut, several MLB clubs are expected to bid aggressively for Sato, who has been described as one of the most intriguing bats available this offseason, if not the best talent on the market.