Roki Sasaki is still unsigned. Yep, you heard that right, the 23-year-old Japanese pitcher has garnered interest from many teams but no decision has been made. The Dodgers seem to be the favorites to land him, because of their Japanese star players and pitching program. The Padres also emerged as a strong contender for Sasaki’s services at one point because of their limited media attention. 

Sasaki did not like the media frenzy he had to go through in Japan. His agent, Joel Wolfe had made it clear that Sasaki would prefer a low-key team which made the Padres a good option. Among these two possible landing spots, another team has also risen to be a viable option. According to an insider, the Yankees can be a better choice if there is no geographical preference.  

If Roki Sasaki doesn’t mind the location, then why not the Yankees? 

Roki Sasaki does not have much time to decide though. The international amateur signing period will start on January 15th and the pitcher’s posting window closes on the 23rd. That just gives him a week to choose between teams. The Yanks lost on both Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. However, Bryan Hoch says that if Sasaki does not care about which side of the US he ends up on, the Pinstripes have a real chance. “They think they do…if there is not a geographical preference in play, the Yankees really feel like they put in a good proposal here,” Hoch said.    

Roki Sasaki’s signing will not be like Ohtani’s or Yamamoto’s. It is supposed to be more complex because of his age. Roki Sasaki is just 23 years old which puts him under international bonus pool restrictions. Why he has chosen to post to MLB so soon is unclear but teams should be happy as they don’t have to worry about the player reaching astronomical numbers. Apart from the age, a foreign player also has to collect at least 6 years in a pro foreign league which Sasaki hasn’t. Naturally, the teams now have to rely on their presentation to charm the pitcher and not rely only on money. But then again, it is not just the Yanks. Several other teams have also been noted as possible contenders.

The sweepstakes in Southern California just got a lot more interesting  

Bob Nightengale of USA Today thinks that the Los Angeles Dodgers have long been the favorite to land Sasaki, with some insiders even suggesting the 23-year-old phenom had already made up his mind. But there’s a twist! Nightingale also mentioned that the San Diego Padres have emerged as a serious contender for the young ace.  

Sure, the squad has been quiet this offseason, which is pretty unusual for AJ Preller, but what if that silence might just be the calm before the storm? Sasaki would certainly be the kind of move to shake things up. In 2024, the 23-year-old went 10-5 with a 2.35 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and 129 strikeouts over 111 innings in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. If that wasn’t enough, Sasaki also showcased his talents on the international stage during the 2023 World Baseball Classic, going 1-0 with a 3.52 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 11 strikeouts in just 7.2 innings.

If the Padres manage to pull this off, they’ll add a powerful arm to their already potent roster. With a strong starting rotation and a lineup full of stars, Sasaki could be the missing piece to help elevate San Diego to the top of the NL West. It’s going to be a fun race to watch, especially if the Dodgers and the Yankees are forced to fight for him. 

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