NYY News: Roki Sasaki will be posted this winter
11/10/2024 12:00 AM
NPB's Roki Sasaki to be posted; Yanks sign reliever to minor league deal; Reggie Jackson leaves Astros
MLB Trade Rumors | Anthony Franco: In a move that has been much-anticipated but not fully expected for at least another year or two, the Chiba Lotte Marines announced their intent to post superstar pitcher Roki Sasaki this winter. Because he is under 25 years of age, Sasaki will be considered an international amateur free agent, meaning that he will be under team control for six seasons as if he came up through the farm system—just like Shohei Ohtani was in December 2017—and that signing bonuses will be limited by the international bonus pool cap — so no $300 million contracts to be found here (let alone $25 million).
Although the Los Angeles Dodgers seem like the natural favorites, the Yankees are expected to be big players for Sasaki, just like they were on Yoshinobu Yamamoto a year ago. Essentially all contracts will be equal, so it will truly be Sasaki's choice.
MLB Trade Rumors | Mark Polishuk: Much of the attention in free agency focuses on the big names like Sasaki, Juan Soto, and Corbin Burnes, but teams still make a number of smaller moves designed to fill out the edges of the roster and provide depth — particularly in the bullpen. In that vein, the Yankees signed former Cincinnati reliever Brandon Leibrandt to a minor league deal yesterday. The left-hander had been designated for assignment at the end of October and had elected to become a free agent rather than accept an assignment to Cincinnati's Triple-A affiliate.
Although at 32 years of age, it's unlikely that Leibrandt will be anything more than organizational filler, the Yankees have done a good job in recent years of identifying veteran relievers and resurrecting their careers — such as Lucas Luetge, Ian Hamilton, and most notably, Luke Weaver.
New York Post | Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman: After four years working for the Houston Astros, Yankees legend Reggie Jackson has finally left his former team's rival. While at the moment, he intends to stay home and spend time with his family, he does not rule out a return to the baseball world in a more formal capacity — including a return to the Bronx.
