He is a Ferrari in a go-kart body. A five-star meal served on a paper plate. We are talking about none other than the Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki. And while he might not have Shohei Ohtani’s bat, his arm—that’s a whole different story. Talk to any of the GMs or the scouts, and they will tell you that Sasaki is one of the most electric pitchers. Hence, even before he has stepped foot in America, he is already such a big rage. Plus, many are comparing him to Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Now it was Sasaki’s dream to come and play in America. A vision he had from last year, but because he was below the age of 25, his team, the Chiba Lotte Marines, didn’t accept his request. But in a surprising twist, just last week, they announced that Sasaki will be posted. Now this is strange because the Marines have almost nothing to gain, as the MLB rules cap Sasaki’s bonus to $7 million, meaning the Marines are in a loss, but not MLB teams! However, right now the big rage is: Where is Sasaki going?

San Diego Padres has a secret weapon to sign Roki Sasaki!

The LA Dodgers are where everyone initially thought the Japanese pitching star would end up. This is because the Dodgers have a strong group of players from Japan, be it Shohei Ohtani or Yamamoto. Plus, it’s a popular team in Sasaki’s home country. Also, the Dodgers have the largest international bonus pool of $2.5 million. And the rumors of a deal struck behind closed doors are also making the rounds. But Sasaki’s agent, Joel Wolfe, denied it entirely. However, if not the Dodgers, then who? Well, apparently the San Diego Padres.

Mány teams would want to jump on the Sasaki wagon, we mean, when was the last time a player such as Sasaki came in at that rate? But it seems like the Padres might take this one. Bob Nightengale reported, “Several teams are holding out hope, particularly the San Diego Padres. Sasaki’s mentor happens to be Yu Darvish of the Padres.” Now Sasaki had pitched with Darvish during the 2023 World Baseball Classic. And even though Ohtani and Yamamoto were also part of the team, Sasaki has been close with Yu Darvish more.

And the Padres player in fact frequently gives his titbits and advice to Japanese players when they move over to the US. So, it remains to see whether the Padres will be the Dodgers’ biggest threat on the road to clinch Roki Sasaki. 

Rōki Sasaki may end up choosing smaller market teams

Now the LA Dodgers have been positioned already as favorites when it comes to Sasaki’s choice. The money isn’t the deciding factor, even though the Dodgers wouldn’t have blinked an eye, we guess, before spending it on Roki Sasaki. We mean, they have plenty of legroom given Shohei Ohtani’s deferred pay. Plus, they paid Yamamoto a $325 million deal, and it seems like Sasaki is the same or better than him. So we are sure they wouldn’t have batted an eye. Sasaki’s deal, though, will be modest, and hence many more teams are in the race.

Many believe that given that the Los Angeles Dodgers have two Japanese stars, Sasaki might look for a rather quieter market. The glare of New York and LA might be too stark for him right now. Jim Allen, the MLB analyst, reported, “We prefer he’s in a smaller media market with a softer landing after the way he’s been tarred and feathered by the Japanese tabloid media for two years.” So, even if the Dodgers have a strong position with +300 odds, Sasaki might just go for a small market team for a stable development system.

The Yankees, the Padres, the Mets, and the Cubs—everyone is in the running. Who do you think he will choose? Let us know in your thoughts!