Sasaki sweepstakes heat up as MLB international signing period opens
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Major League Baseball's international free agent signing period is officially open, which means we may know the winner of the Roki Sasaki sweepstakes as soon as Wednesday.
According to multiple reports, Sasaki's posting from the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan ends on Jan. 23, which means he will have to sign a deal with an MLB team by that deadline. Because he is under the age of 25, Sasaki is only eligible to join an MLB team on a minor-league deal and be entitled to a signing bonus that is capped at each team's 2025 international bonus pool allotment.
The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya and Ken Rosenthal reported Tuesday afternoon that Sasaki was to meet with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Athletic also reported the Dodgers' pitch included some of their star players.
Multiple reports from Monday evening indicated that Sasaki had narrowed down his list of teams he's considering to the Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays. Among those three teams, the Padres and Blue Jays each have just over $6.2 million available to spend on international free agents while the Dodgers have a touch more than $5.1 million, according to MLB's Kyle Glaser. Glaser adds that teams are allowed to trade for up to 60 per cent of their original allotment.
USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported Monday night the Padres were "cautiously optimistic he's coming their way." Nightengale previously referred to the Dodgers and Padres as the "heavy favourites" to land the 23-year-old Japanese star.
TSN Blue Jays Reporter Scott Mitchell confirmed Monday that Sasaki had met with the Blue Jays in Toronto last week.
"No one is calling them favourites at this point but they've got a horse in the race. Spending multiple days in the city, which he just wrapped up recently, so close to when a decision is due is not something he'd do for fun," Mitchell wrote Monday in a post on X.
In December, Mitchell reported the Jays were likely to be "all-in" on Sasaki.
Sasaki is the No. 2 ranked player on TSN's Top 75 MLB Free Agents list released in November. The 23-year-old went 10-5 last season for Nippon Professional Baseball's Chiba Lotte Marines, recording a 2.35 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 111.0 innings.