Roki Sasaki to Join Shota Imanaga in Chicago Cubs? Jed Hoyer’s Japanese Trip Creates an Interesting Link for the Sensational Ace

Roki Sasaki is Japan’s next big baseball star! Over the last four seasons, his game has done the talking, earning him a place as a household name across the nation. He is almost on the same road as Shohei Ohtani and we already know what a sensational player he has turned out to be in MLB. However, unlike Ohtani, Sasaki’s journey to make it to MLB isn’t as seamless. Last year, he had requested his team in NBP to let him move to MLB, but that was declined. The question remains–will he join MLB this time? Given that there is news that he is going to request the Marines yet again. 

The answer is anything but simple, given Chiba Lotte Marines, don’t want to let their star pitcher leave. But recently there have been fresh talks and rumors, and now that Jed Hoyer the president of the Chicago Cubs made a trip to Japan—it’s added to an air of anticipation yet again. Because with the off-season approaching, vacation might be the last thing on his mind!

Cubs’ president in Japan: is Roki Sasaki on their radar?

Chicago Cubs president Jed Hoyer’s visit to Japan is significant given the team has a history of recruiting top Japanese talent. Afterall, they have had interest previously in players of top caliber from the country like Shota Imanaga and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Hence, the rumors and speculation about his visit and the possible signing of Roki Sasaki to his team didn’t take long to circulate. Plus, who wouldn’t want Sasaki? Even after struggling with an injury, his record is pristine!

From very early on this year the Japanese star has been struggling with his arm. No doubt his velocity has taken a hit, but not so much. Just this Friday, he pitched seven scoreless innings, striking out seven and allowing no runs against Japan’s top team. Hence Cubs being interested is a given. But they are not the only ones! 

The rumor mills are in a frenzy with more teams wanting Sasaki in their league. From the New York Yankees to the Los Angeles Dodgers—it seems everyone’s interested. And we have seen some of the teams have deep pockets to spend. Dodgers after all spent an arm and a leg for another Japanese player- Shohei Ohtani, the largest to date! However seems like, in the case of Roki Sasaki even deep pockets might not help! 

Sasaki making it to the Cubs may be a distant dream!

Roki Sasaki is almost seen as a baseball prodigy in Japan. His talents and his stats are incredible, yet his transition to MLB is uncertain. Now because he doesn’t want to, but because his team doesn’t seem to be on the same page as him. You see, he is under contract with the team and will only turn 23 in November—and this is the main crux of the issue. Sasaki is 23 and is under the posting system with the Marines. According to the system, the team would receive a posting fee based on his signing bonus. But given that he is 25, the signing bonus now is capped, meaning Marines would get just a small fee. So the team stands to gain no financial incentive if they let their star player go now. But if they wait till Sasaki is 25, the posting fee is not capped, and the potential financial reward for the team would be much higher.

Secondly, Sasaki’s injury has added another layer of complexity. His performance did dip a little, and this makes Marines more cautious about letting him go before he’s fully back to his peak form. Plus, the Marines have no contractual obligation to post Sasaki before he reaches international free agency. This is unlike the case of Shohei Ohtani-  who had no such clause in his contract that kept him tied to the team. Moreover, even if Sasaki manages to move, he won’t be able to move to the major league but play in the minor league, since he isn’t 25 yet. 

Hence, all these factors highlight that Roki Sasaki might stay with the team for two more years and might not make it to MLB as of yet. While every team is eyeing him, his team, given the financial and strategic considerations, might hold on to him. What do you think? Let us know in the comments.