MLB remains the prime destination for players from all over the world. The glitz, glamor, elite competition, and deep history add up to make it the biggest of spectacles in the baseball world. Some players choose to wait while there are a few who want to enter as quickly as possible. The upcoming Japanese superstar Roki Sasaki is certainly the latter kind.
Experiencing what has been one of the quickest rises in sports, Sasaki is desperate to take the next step. The 22-year-old hadn’t pitched a single ball in 2020, but by 2023, he became the premier pitcher of the NPB. With a wicked fastball and humongous potential, Sasaki has been the apple of every baseball fan’s eye. With everyone wondering when he’ll enter MLB, Sasaki’s bold step has given some hint regarding the same.
Contract Standoff with Chiba Lotte Marines finally ends
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The MLB dreams of Roki Sasaki have been visible to everyone for a long time. His hunger for competition and to prove himself at the highest level has slowly transformed him into an impatient star. This was visible during his 2024 contract negotiations with the Chiba Lotte Marines. Various reports had emerged that the ace had withdrawn his name from the Japan Professional Baseball Players Association in a bid to put pressure on the Marines.
Unlike most Japanese players, Sasaki reportedly didn’t want to wait til he was 25 to get posted in the major leagues, rather by the end of 2024. The Marines weren’t ready because it would mean losing their ace but also a chance to get a big income. So there was a lot of tussles between the two. Fortunately, that disagreement was solved, and the two got into an agreement.
According to the Japanese publication, Asahi, Chiba Lotte Marines and Roki Sasaki had a press conference at Zozo Marine on 27th January. There they clarified their negotiations where Sasaki informed he aims to win the Marines in 2024 and his salary is the same as in 2023. On being asked about his desire to play in the MLB, Sasaki was clear – it’s been his dream since childhood.
Why does Roki Sasaki want to leave Japan?
In a mere two years, Roki Sasaki has taken the world by storm. 2022 saw Sasaki pitch in 20 games and have a 9-4 record with a 2.02 ERA. In 2023, he reduced that ERA to 1.78! But the real story was Sasaki’s performance in the WBC, where he pitched multiple 102+ mph balls. This caught the attention of most executives, who hailed him as one of the most exciting prospects since Stephen Strasburgh.
Simultaneously, the US dream has been brewing inside the young Sasaki since he was a child. That desire only became stronger when he played in the Samurai Japan team during the WBC. “I played with the top players on the Japanese national team and received a lot of inspiration, which made me want to get better at baseball,” said Sasaki during his recent press conference (via Asahi).
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While most players wait till they’re 25 to get bigger deals, money doesn’t hold much importance to Sasaki. In an eerie similarity to Shohei Ohtani in 2017, Sasaki too wants to take a chance on himself before he’s eligible for free agency. It’s this desire that has complicated the posting timeline of the fastball merchant.
When will he get posted? A possible timeline
Reports have been consistent from the beginning regarding Sasaki’s wish. He reportedly wanted to join MLB in the 2023 offseason itself, but the Marines declined that request. So now as it stands, there’s a chance that Sasaki tries to convince the Marines to post him after the 2024 season. But that’s where the complication arises.
If Sasaki gets posted in 2024, he won’t be 25 – the required age to get a major league contract. As a result, he’d be relegated to a minor-league contract, which would just be a fraction of what he’d get if he were to wait till 25. A lower contract for him would entail a lower fee for the Chiba Lotte Mariners, and this is the primary reason why the team looked so adamant about keeping the ace with them.
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While in the press conference, neither Sasaki nor the Mariners clarified regarding their future after 2024. But if in case Sasaki does get posted, things would get spicy in the market. Suddenly a top prospect would be entering the league at only a fraction of his price and teams would have only 45 days to sign him. With that in mind, there are a few teams that have already shown some interest in Sasaki.
Which MLB team will sign Sasaki?
A few names have been perpetually linked with Sasaki ever since he first came to the limelight. The first is obviously the Los Angeles Dodgers. The team is adorned with the two biggest Japanese stars, Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. While one can expect them to make a strong case, others are just as strongly in the fray for the pitcher.
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St. Louis Cardinals and reportedly the New York Yankees too want to try their hands on this electrifying 22-year-old. With the kind of interest commanded by Sasaki, one shouldn’t be surprised if he commands an interest that is on par with what Ohtani did in 2017 or Yamamoto did in 2023.
