Roki Sasaki has been associated with the MLB in the past few months. Known as “The Monster of the Reiwa Era,” Sasaki’s swift rise in baseball has garnered worldwide fame. Japan has produced some of the best baseball players for decades. Several players, from Hideki Matsui to Shohei Ohtani and more, have carved a career in MLB.
Experts predict Sasaki to be the next MLB star after his incredible pitching prowess. He is arguably one of the best baseball pitchers of his time. The 23-year-old plays for the Chiba Lotte Marines but could soon find himself in Major League Baseball.
Several teams would flock to get their hands on a star pitcher. However, the Los Angeles Dodgers seem to be a favorite landing spot for Roki Sasaki. The Dodgers already have two Japanese stars on their team, which gives them more leverage to add Sasaki.
23 Year Old Japanese Pitching Sensation Roki Sasaki Is Expected To Be Posted This Offseason And If That Happens You Can Basically Pencil Him Into The Dodgers Starting Rotation https://t.co/diypSIADBN pic.twitter.com/ym7pMjZigm
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) November 6, 2024
According to former Maimi Marlins President David Samson, Sasaki could follow in the footsteps of Ohtani and Yamamoto. He stated that the rumors about Saski wanting to be a Dodger are pretty strong. In that case, Samson believes that Sasaki will be a Dodger.
“I think it’s a bit of a wait to see, other than the rumors that I’ve heard pretty strongly that he does wanna be a Dodger. In which case, stand down, everybody. He’s gonna be a Dodger,” Samson said in an interview with Foul Territory.
Samson believes that Sasaki will need to sign a deal like Ohtani to avoid complications in his free agency.
“A Japanese team they are not going to grant him his free agency. But I think that they are going to post him, and the thing is, he’s gonna have to sign an Ohtani-like deal. He can’t get paid right off the bat as a free agent in Major League Baseball,” Samson continued.
Dodgers Hold Advantage Over Roki Sasaki With International Pool Money
Roki Sasaki has more chances of being with the Dodgers than any other team. Sasaki will fall under the league’s international bonus pool restrictions since he is below 25 years old. That said, a major league contract is out of the way since he can only sign an amateur deal.
Any team interested in signing the young pitcher must use their international signing pool money. The Chiba Lotte Marines must also post him to make things possible. It also depends on Sasaki and how long he is ready to wait for an offer.
The international signing pools for all MLB teams will reset after December 15, 2024. If his present team posts him and he’s ready to wait beyond December 15, Sasaki could get a good deal from several teams.
However, the Dodgers hold the advantage as they could offer him a contract before December 15. If Sasaki does not want to risk waiting, the Dodgers are the only team with the most international signing pool money. With close to $2.5 million, they could easily rack up an offer for the rising star and get him down to Los Angeles.
The Dodgers have not offered Walker Buehler an extension. The other free agents are Joe Kelly, Clayton Kershaw, and Blake Treinen. There is enough room to get Sasaki on board.
