Roki Sasaki had a lifelong dream: to reach America and play in Major League Baseball (MLB). After years of hard work and waiting, he has finally been officially posted to MLB by his team, the Chiba Lotte Mariners. Even before his posting, MLB teams were pursuing him, traveling to Japan to scout him. Now that he is posted, teams are eagerly competing for his talent.
And why wouldn’t they? Sasaki is being compared to pitchers like LA Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and he is an international amateur free agent, which means he is not tied to a hefty contract like Yamamoto’s $ 325 million deal. The teams showing the most interest include the New York Yankees, New York Mets, and the LA Dodgers. However, the Chicago Cubs might have a strategic advantage in securing Sasaki’s services.
Sasaki’s agent, Joel Wolfe, suggested that a small to medium-market team might be a better fit for him. Given Sasaki’s challenging experiences with the Japanese media, he may prefer a less intense environment. While the Cubs are considered a major market team, they do not attract the same level of media scrutiny as the Yankees, Mets, or Dodgers, giving them a potential edge in this pursuit. But that’s not all.
If you thought the Dodgers were the only team favored by Japanese players, you’d be mistaken. The Chicago Cubs are also a strong contender with two players from Japan, Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga, whom they signed for ** $ 53 million.** Cubs president of baseball operations, Jed Hoyer, believes that Suzuki and Imanaga could provide a significant advantage in attracting Sasaki, stating, “Seiya and Shota have had really good experiences. I think we’re an appealing destination for any Japanese player.”
During the MLB winter meetings, Hoyer disclosed that the Cubs have already submitted their pitch for Sasaki’s consideration. Although he didn’t provide specifics, he emphasized that “we’ve had a lot of Japanese players who have enjoyed positive experiences in Chicago.” It remains uncertain where Sasaki will ultimately land, but the Cubs appear to have a strong edge.
In a separate development, the Yankees and Mets are once again in a fierce competition for a top free agent, this time focusing on Roki Sasaki. The New York Mets are feeling particularly optimistic after signing Juan Soto and were the first team to meet with Sasaki on Thursday. In September, David Stearns’s team had already traveled to Japan to scout Sasaki in person, underscoring their commitment to securing him.
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