MLB rumors: Dodgers, Padres making calls to acquire international bonus pool money for Roki Sasaki
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Roki Sasaki may be available for all teams to sign considering that his age only makes him subject to the international bonus pool money similar to when Shohei Ohtani made the transition stateside back in 2018, but he has reportedly whittled down his preferred destinations to his top three — the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and Toronto Blue Jays.
And with Sasaki close to making his final decision, the teams that remain in the hunt are looking to improve their chances of acquiring him any way they could. To that end, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, “both the Dodgers and Padres have been calling teams with regard to trading for international bonus pool money with the hopes of bulking up the amount.”
However, even the teams that aren’t among Sasaki’s preferred destinations are looking to add to their available international bonus pool money, making it difficult for the Dodgers and Padres to accomplish their goal.
With the international signing window officially opening, the clock is ticking on Sasaki’s suitors in terms of adding more pool money. The Dodgers, however, will be fighting an uphill battle, as they are starting off with the lowest amount of money available on the international market ($5.1 million) compared to nearly $6.3 million available for both the Padres and Blue Jays.
The rules stipulate that teams can only add up to 60 percent more bonus money to their pool; in the end, the highest offer the Dodgers can give Sasaki is worth around $8.2 million, while the Padres and Blue Jays can offer up to a little over $10 million.
Nonetheless, the Dodgers should have the advantage of having prominent Japanese stars such as Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the roster, although the Padres have Yu Darvish as well to help convince Sasaki.
Dodgers, Padres, and Blue Jays fight for Roki Sasaki’s services
Roki Sasaki is only 23 years of age, which makes his potential as a top of the rotation starter that much more tantalizing. Sasaki should also be under team control for six years, making it quite the bargain for any MLB team if the Japanese sensation pans out.
Some analysts believe that Sasaki might favor the prospect of signing with a team that he can be a bigger star for instead of just drifting in the background. This could signal that the Padres might be in the driver’s seat for his services, especially if they manage to add more international bonus pool money.
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