Roki Sasaki update: MLB executives ‘planning’ for NPB ace to be posted this offseason, per report

May 26, 2024
4 mins read
Roki Sasaki update: MLB executives ‘planning’ for NPB ace to be posted this offseason, per report



Major League Baseball executives are “planning” for Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki to be signed this offseason, according to Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post. Janes adds that neither Sasaki nor his team, the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Nippon Professional Baseball League, have confirmed that this is the case – nor are they likely to do so anytime soon. Janes quotes one of Sasaki’s teammates, former MLB outfielder Gregory Polanco, who says Sasaki asks him about the majors “every day” and said Sasaki is “so ready to go.”

Sasaki, 22, is considered the most talented pitcher in the world who has not thrown a pitch in an MLB game now that Yoshinobu Yamamoto has joined the Los Angeles Dodgers. He first rose to global prominence in 2022 when he struck out 19 batters in a perfect game. Sasaki started eight times this year, racking up a 2.18 ERA that, believe it or not, caused his career ERA to plummet. increase to 1.94.

CBS Sports offered the following report on Sasaki during the offseason when it was reported that he wanted to be put up for MLB consideration after next season:

Sasaki has two huge offerings, a rising high-90s fastball and a devastating splitter/forkball, and a surprisingly good feel for throwing strikes based on his age and stuff. He struck out 34% of the batters he faced as a pro, while walking just 5% of them. That 29% margin, for reference, would have ranked second in the majors in 2023, behind only Atlanta Braves flamethrower Spencer Strider. Sasaki needs to improve his durability. He was limited to 91 innings last year due to an oblique injury and has so far surpassed the century mark only once. Otherwise, Sasaki can rightly claim that he is already one of the most talented pitchers on the planet.

As CBS Sports noted, the Marines have millions and millions of reasons to delay Sasaki’s post. Under MLB’s agreement with the NPB, players who do not meet certain age and service time thresholds are classified as amateur free agents. Sasaki doesn’t meet these requirements, meaning he would effectively be labeled an amateur free agent – the Marines would have to wait another two years for him to cross these thresholds. This designation not only limits how much these players can sign — they are subject to international amateur free agent bonuses, much like Shohei Ohtani was when he arrived — and in turn limits how much their original team receives.

Here’s a breakdown of postage fee tiers:

  • Contract worth less than US$25 million: 20% of the contract value
  • Contract worth US$25 million to US$50 million: US$5 million plus 17.5% of the value above US$25 million
  • Contract worth more than US$50 million: US$9.275 million plus 15% of the value above US$50 million

It has long been known that the Los Angeles Dodgers have interest in Sasaki. Top executive Andrew Friedman was spotted at Team Japan practices before last spring’s World Baseball Classic. Friedman has since signed Ohtani and Yamamoto, two of the club’s other stars.





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