Potential Roki Sasaki Posting Date Could Hurt Dodgers' Chances to Sign Him
11/12/2024 06:00 PM
The Los Angeles Dodgers may have more competition in the chase for Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki depending on which signing period he becomes eligible.
Sasaki will be eligible to sign for the 2024-25 international period that opens next Jan. 15, 2025, per Francys Romero. If that’s the case, other teams such as the San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, and Toronto Blue Jays may have over $2 million in international budget.
In the next signing period, other clubs with a considerable amount of international money are legitimate contenders to also sign Sasaki. The Dodgers have $2.5 million remaining from the current international period and approximately $3 million left from the following period that opens in Jan. 2025, according to Romero.
Regardless, the Dodgers remain the favorites to sign Sasaki especially since he is taking the same route to stateside baseball as Los Angeles superstar Shohei Ohtani.
Before Sasaki’s jump to MLB, Ohtani was the only player ever to receive permission from his NPB club to go to the majors without having hit the required six years of professional experience a player under the age of 25 needs to gain international free agency.
In 2018, Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Angels for $2.3 million. Sasaki is expected to sign with a team for a similar amount.
Making the jump to the majors as an international amateur indicates Sasaki is less worried about money and more concerned with pitching in MLB. The 23-year-old could’ve played in NPB for a few more years to be posted to MLB as an international free agent, similar to the path Yoshinobu Yamamoto took to the majors.
Instead, Sasaki followed in the footsteps of Ohtani. It’s evident Sasaki isn’t focused on the sum of money a team can offer him. He’s concerned with lifestyle, stability, and player development, per The Athletic.
Los Angeles could offer him all of the above.
Photo Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
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