Sato is a high-chase hitter. Sox just don't target those guys and you usually don't get more patient when changing leagues. If you took Sato's chase rate in NPB, it would make him the highest chase rate player on the Sox. I think there are genuine differences of opinion in how much you should care about it (there are numerous good hitters who also chase a lot) and whether anything can be done about it, but the Sox publicly emphasize swing decisions and have really emphasized patient hitters in their acquisitions. There's more to swing decisions than just how often you swing at balls, but swinging at balls frequently is nearly incompatible with being a hitter who generally makes good swing decisions. For Sato's sake the best thing you can say is that he's not exactly in the Lenyn tier of aggression and (also unlike the Lenyn types) he's very aggressive in the strike zone so he's not wasting the aggression by taking until he's behind and then expanding. Besides that, I just don't see the Sox taking a big swing — no pun intended — at a lefty, especially a lefty-hitting primary infielder. I would wholly endorse a trade for Yordan Alvarez however.

I want Sam as the everyday leadoff hitter even against LHP. I think Sam will bust his butt to become a better left fielder and also to hit LHP. His work ethic and drive to succeed is off the charts.

On 10/19/2026 at 9:31 AM, almagest said:

Can the Sox afford to outbid other clubs to get Sato patrolling in LF or RF? Probably not. Can Soxtalk work it's magic again and get Sato on the team? Definitely.

No. Put every spare dollar available into the pitching staff. The Sox will have more than enough outfielders by the end of the season. Stay focused!!