Dodgers may not be favored to sign Roki Sasaki?

Mar 20, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Japan starting pitcher Roki Sasaki (14) delivers a pitch during the first inning against Mexico at LoanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Once news emerged that top Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki is set to be posted for Major League Baseball teams, the consensus that emerged suggested that the Los Angeles Dodgers were his most likely landing spot. A new report suggests, however, that might not necessarily be the case.

Citing conversations with executives and league insiders, Jim Bowden of The Athletic believes the Dodgers are actually unlikely to sign Sasaki, and their status as favorites is overblown.

Bowden lists several reasons for this belief. As Sasaki will enter the league as an amateur free agent, he will not be eligible for salary arbitration until 2028, and will likely lean on endorsement deals to increase his earning power. Joining the Dodgers, where Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto already play, may limit his endorsement ceiling. Sasaki may do better by positioning himself as a rival to the Dodgers’ pair of Japanese stars instead of a teammate.

In addition, Sasaki is said to have a very close relationship with Yu Darvish, which may be beneficial to the San Diego Padres. The Atlanta Braves, New York Mets, and Tampa Bay Rays are also seen as possibilities due to their history of developing pitchers.

Sasaki is still just 23, so he stands to hit free agency in his prime if he is a success, just as Ohtani did. Over the course of his career, Sasaki has a record of 30-15 with an ERA of 2.02 and a WHIP of 0.883, and nobody believes he has hit his ceiling yet.