Roki Sasaki started his career in Nippon Professional Baseball in 2021. He joined the Chiba Lotte Marines as a pitcher and played for them for four seasons, recording a 2:35 ERA along with 129 strikeouts and 32 walks in 18 games in 2024. This made Sasaki the most sought-after player in Japan. However, the 23-year-old recently turned down a contract extension with his NPB team, as reported by Francys Romero, suggesting his desire to transition to MLB soon.

The Marines have not yet made any announcement regarding Roki Sasaki leaving the team. In the meantime, the Los Angeles Dodgers are believed to be the contenders to secure Sasaki once he becomes available, considering the team’s successful signings of Japanese talents – Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. In a recent Fair Territory podcast, Ken Rosenthal affirmed this possibility.

Rosenthal said, “If Roki Sasaki becomes available, the Los Angeles Dodgers will be the heavy favorites to sign him. Can you imagine what that team would mean to Japan more than it already has?” Evidently, the team is already seen as one of the favorites in Japan, receiving immense support in the 2024 World Series with viewers reaching an average of 12.9 million.

While Roki Sasaki might become an agent in the MLB yet (as it requires a foreign player to complete six professional seasons or be older than 24 years), there are talks about a possible clause in his contract that could let him request an earlier posting. This is similar to what Ohtani did to enter MLB in 2018 – if Sasaki is posted before he turns 25 years old, there will be limits on his signing bonus according to MLB regulations. The Dodgers would probably still have to pay a substantial posting fee to the Marines.

Team odds for Roki Sasaki other than the Dodgers 

If Roki Sasaki decides to join Major League Baseball through the posting system process, many teams stand a chance of pursuing him due to his talent as one of Japan’s standout pitchers. The New York Mets might position them as contenders in the league as David Stearns made the decisions to secure top-tier talent and to invest in new talented players this year.

The San Francisco Giants and the Boston Red Sox can both be intriguing for Sasaki – they have had historical ties with some legendary Japanese players like Shun Yamaguchi, Daisuke Matsuzaka, and Koji Uehara. The New York Yankees might be another good option for Roki Sasaki, as they are known for recruiting players with a rich legacy from Japan. Athletes like Hideki Matsui and Masahiro Tanaka made significant contributions to the team and left a lasting impact on their fans.

The Yankees can also show strong interest in acquiring young pitchers like Sasaki to strengthen their team in the competitive AL East division, alongside Gerrit Cole for the long haul. These probabilities may change based on the ability of teams to provide financial deals and create a positive culture that fosters Sasaki’s interest. What’s your take on Roki Sasaki’s future possibilities in MLB? Share below.