The MLB world is in chaos, all because of a 23-year-old! That’s the power of Roki Sasaki right now; his story is one of a phoenix rising. Having seen the darkest of days, losing his grandparents and father to a deadly earthquake, even when the media back in Japan were brutal to him for his decision to go to MLB, Sasaki remained steadfast. And now, at least seven teams are waiting for a call to finally know if the Monster of the Reiwa era will join them.

So far, there’s no clarity on Sasaki’s final spot, given the playing spot is even as he is subject to an international signing bonus. But according to the Post and ESPN, the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and the San Francisco Giants are out of this race. However, the teams that are still in the sweepstakes and on Sasaki’s list are the Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, and, of course, the LA Dodgers.

While LA is being considered the favorite, the Roki Sasaki sweepstakes might ultimately be a win for the Padres. A video has emerged of someone of a similar weight and height as Roki Sasaki pitching at Petco Park. And the no-brainer news—he was rocking Padres gear, which had fans questioning: Does this clip mean something, nothing, or is it indicating a certain move?

On the other hand, with the LA Dodgers seen as top contenders to sign Sasaki, it seemed logical; not just because they are the champions but given the team’s strong presence in Japan. They house two of the most powerful Japanese players in their team—Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Plus, Roki Sasaki’s agent had mentioned he is looking for a team that will help him grow in the sport

In the Dodgers camp, pitching is a strong suit, and they can help Roki Sasaki. Moreover, if he chose LA, Sasaki wouldn’t be hurried to pitch every other day, allowing him to form the pitching trio with Shohei and Yamamoto. So, undoubtedly, this video had Dodgers fans in a frenzy on social media!

Fans voice their concerns after Roki Sasaki in Padres gear video goes viral

Well, right now, the Padres are a team in total chaos. They have an ownership battle and a lawsuit hanging over their heads, and Sasaki is said to want a team with less media attention because he didn’t have great media experience in Japan. So, him choosing a team that’s not at the right place ownership-wise is surely a huge question mark, if true, as one enthusiast mentioned, “There’s nothing for him in San Diego.”

Another rather quirky fan comment went, “Sign with the Padres to lose to the Dodgers in the playoffs?.” But it makes sense, given the Dodgers have a lineup many teams envy. In the past, Shohei Ohtani chose the Angels, and, well, before this season, he never won a ring with his previous team. Forget the ring; he never made it to the playoffs, too. Time is valuable, so, choosing a team that gets one closer to the championship seems smart.

A confident LA Dodgers supporter wrote, “Biggest plot twist: he’s still a Dodger, though.” Well, it seems like not just fans but even the team is as confident; just recently, they made a bold move relocating $1.5 million of their international signing bonus. So, the team could be saving enough to offer the most they can to the Japanese phenom. After all, for Roki Sasaki, this will be the initial amount he ends up getting from MLB.

In contrast to most Dodgers loyalists, another fan said, “As a Dodgers fan, it’s good for baseball if he goes to the Padres. Makes the rivalry better.” Well, many insiders, including Derek Levandowski, noted that Roki Sasaki can be signing with LA, but he thinks it’s unfair. For him, this isn’t a fair way of structuring the league, but he did say if Sasaki signs with the LA crew, he wouldn’t be surprised.

One user commented, “If Sasaki ends up with the Padres, Yu Darvish definitely had something to do with it.” Well, in the end, this video might now mean anything. Everyone saw Kobe in Celtics gear when he visited the team. Sometimes, players wear the team’s gear when doing a workout for them. It’s not a new practice. Yes, Yu Darvish and Roki Sasaki know each other from their 2023 World Baseball Classic days, but if that can be the only reason he chose the Padres, it is one uncertain claim.

Do you think Sasaki will sign with the Padres, or the Dodgers, or some other team in the race? Let us know below.