Roki Sasaki is closing in on his new team, and three finalists have emerged as candidates to sign him.
The 23-year old Japanese pitcher has narrowed his choices to three, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. The Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and Toronto Blue Jays still have a chance to sign the young pitching star. Sasaki will decide on his new team by Jan. 23.
The finalists for Japanese star right-hander Roki Sasaki are the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays, sources tell ESPN. Sasaki will decide on his team by the closing of his posting window Jan. 23.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 13, 2025
The Dodgers and Padres are not surprising. For months, those two teams have been considered the favorites, though which one has the edge might depend on who you ask. The Blue Jays are a surprise, as their name really only came up as a serious landing spot earlier on Monday.
Virtually every team had interest in Sasaki, who is coming to the United States as an amateur free agent and will have a minimal financial cost to whichever team lands him. Several big teams have already been knocked out of the running.
In his four seasons playing for Chiba Lotte in Japan, Sasaki has maintained a stellar 2.02 ERA and 0.88 WHIP across 69 starts.
