Report: Dodgers meet with Sasaki; Padres 'cautiously optimistic'
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The Los Angeles Dodgers were the latest of the three finalists to meet with free agent starter Roki Sasaki on Tuesday, according to an article from The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya and Ken Rosenthal.
Ardaya and Rosenthal add that the pitch was expected to feature several of the Dodgers' star players.
ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Monday that the Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays were the finalists to sign Sasaki.
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.
According to multiple reports, Sasaki's camp informed several interested teams they were out of the running on Monday. The New York Yankees, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers all reportedly received word Monday that Sasaki would not be joining their teams.
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 can sign with a team beginning on Wednesday when the new international signing period opens. His posting ends Jan. 23, and Ardaya and Rosenthal wrote in Tuesday's article that he is expected to make his decision closer to the end of the posting period. Because he is not over the age of 25, he will be only be able to receive a minor-league deal in addition to a signing bonus that would be capped at just under $8 million.
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.