MLB teams making pitches to Japanese star Roki Sasaki

The world champion Los Angeles Dodgers reportedly are among the Major League Baseball teams to have met with Japanese star Roki Sasaki.

News of the meeting between the former Chiba Lotte Marines right-hander — posted to MLB teams by the club earlier this month at baseball’s winter meetings — was reported by The Orange County Register on Saturday.

The Dodgers join a list of suitors to have met with Sasaki that is believed to include both New York teams, the Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants. The San Diego Padres also are thought to be in pursuit of the 23-year-old Sasaki.

The pitcher is expected to sign with a club soon after the opening of the 2025 international signing period on Jan. 15.

Sasaki won’t be in line for a huge payday with this first MLB contract. Foreign professionals under 25 and with fewer than six years’ experience are limited in what they can earn, meaning Sasaki won’t be in line to match the 12-year, $325 million contract Yoshinobu Yamamoto signed with the Dodgers last December.

Sasaki is viewed as having one of the top young arms in the world with a 100 mph fastball and deadly sinker.

In 2024 with the Marines, he was 10-5 with a 2.35 ERA, 129 strikeouts and 32 walks in 111 innings. In four years, Sasaki has thrown 394 2/3 innings and has a 29-15 record with a 2.10 ERA, 505 strikeouts and 88 walks.

At the winter meetings, Dodgers president Andrew Friedman didn’t hide what team officials think of Sasaki.

“He’s incredibly talented. Really physical. Incredible carrying fastball. His split’s a well-above-average major-league pitch. He’s worked hard on a slider, and it’s a really good pitch,” Friedman said. “He has talked about his desire to be the best pitcher in the world, and we believe that he is capable of being the best pitcher in the world.”

Giants team president Buster Posey also gushed over Sasaki.

Obviously, like probably all the other 29 teams, it would be a dream for us to get this guy,” Posey said earlier this month. “Just tremendous upside. Not too many arms in the world like his. He’s a tremendous talent. He’s 23 years old. It’s fun to dream on. It’s fun to think about him at Oracle Park and him pitching deep into a game late in the year, the place rocking. We’d be over the moon to add a guy like that.”

–Field Level Media

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