Roki Sasaki sweepstakes begin as Japanese pitcher's recruiting process opens

12/10/2024 02:54 PM

DALLAS — Roki Sasaki is about to enter into a unique process, following a path last taken by Shohei Ohtani.

When Ohtani left Japan in 2017, just about every team in baseball was in the running for his services. He picked the Angels, and six years later wound up signing for $700 million with the Dodgers.

Now, many assume Sasaki is going to end up as Ohtani's teammate with the Dodgers.

His agent, Joel Wolfe, spoke to a throng of reporters Tuesday at the winter meetings. It was the first day of the 45-day window that opened when Sasaki was posted by the Chiba Lotte Marines.

Sasaki throws a 102-mph fastball. He was 10-5 with a 2.38 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 111 innings this season in Japan. He has a 2.10 career ERA in Japan.

The first question was what criteria Sasaki considers important for choosing his team.

"The best I can say is he has paid attention to the how teams have done as far as overall success, both this year and in years past," Wolfe said. "He does watch a lot of Major League Baseball. He’s paid attention to what his (World Baseball Classic) teammates have done. He’s talked to a lot of players, foreign players that have been on his team with Chiba Lotte. He asked a lot of questions about weather, about comfortability, about pitching development and just watching what other Japanese players in the major leagues are doing and how they are doing."

Sasaki is 23, which means he qualifies under the same rules as an international amateur, just like Ohtani in 2017. If Sasaki were 25, he would be a traditional free agent, like Yoshinobu Yamamoto last year. Yamamoto signed a record $325 million contract with the Dodgers.

Sasaki will be limited to whatever the team of his choice has in its international bonus pool, which ranges from around $5 million to $7 million.

That's why Wolfe said he would not advise Sasaki to give much weight to the money.

"Given the gap in the bonus pool amounts is so negligible, my advice to him is, don’t make a decision based on that, because the long term mark of your career is where you’re going to earn your money," Wolfe said.

Wolfe said he's been asked often why Sasaki would not just wait two years to cash in for a much bigger deal.

"It is not an absolute lock, as some people in baseball have assumed that two years from now he’s going to get a Yamamoto contract," Wolfe said. "Baseball just doesn’t work that way. If you look at the epidemic of injuries, they have the same potential issues he could have. Tommy John surgery. He’s had two shoulder injuries. He’s had oblique injuries. Things may not go the way they want.

"The other thing is, it’s always been his dream to come to the major leagues. Since he was in high school, he’s grown up idolizing players like Yu Darvish and (Masahiro) Tanaka and (Daisuke) Matsuzaka. This is something he’s always wanted to do. And when he went to WBC, and he was around some of these major-league players, it really rubbed off on him. He became sure that 'This is what I want to do as soon as possible.' And it just further solidified his decision-making process."

Since Sasaki is restricted in the bonus he can receive, all teams can afford to make a run at him, just as with Ohtani in 2017. Wolfe said teams have already begun sending presentations.

Wolfe said his plan is for Sasaki to meet with teams next week at a central location in the United States, then go back to Japan for a couple weeks. He would then return to the U.S. in January, perhaps for more meetings.

Sasaki can sign after Jan. 15, which is the beginning of the 2025 international signing period. His posting window closes Jan. 24. It's possible Sasaki could make his decision even before he can officially sign, Wolfe said.

The Dodgers are considered the favorites for Sasaki because they have been one of the most successful teams in the majors, and Sasaki would be in a rotation with Ohtani and Yamamoto.

Sasaki has a close relationship with Darvish, too, which is why the Padres are another possible destination. Wolfe, who also represents Darvish, said he "would assume that (the Padres) would be at team that he would seriously consider."

Wolfe did not include or exclude any other teams.

He also said that teams in smaller media markets would have a chance because Sasaki has had difficulty dealing with the media recently in Japan. He's been harshly criticized for his interest in coming to the major leagues at an earlier age than most Japanese players.

“I think that there’s an argument to be made that a smaller, mid-market team might be more beneficial for him as a soft landing coming from Japan, given what he’s been through, and not having an enjoyable experience with the media," Wolfe said. "It might be. It might be. I'm not saying it will be, but I don’t know how he’s going to view it. It might be beneficial for him to be in a smaller market, but I really don’t know how he looks at it yet, because I haven’t had a chance to really sit down and discuss it with him in great detail."