DODGERS SIGN TOP JAPANESE FREE AGENT ROKI SASAKI
Los Angeles - It’s official Roki Sasaki will be in Dodger blue in 2025 and beyond. The turmoil for the most coveted Japanese prospect, in Sasaki has ended back in Los Angeles once again.
The Dodgers have made some big additions this offseason with Teoscar Hernandez, Blake Treinen, Hye-Seong Kim, and Blake Snell to cover a few. However, the boys in blue had the winning factor in their odds to get Sasaki over any other team.
The Dodgers are coming off an outstanding 2024 season that finished with Los Angeles hosting a parade for the first time since the 1980’s. The team looked so strong that prior to the additions already made in free agency many argued that they could run it back one more time.
Flash forward a few months, Sasaki has been the talk of the town and fans urged their clubs to chase after the Japanese pitcher. Since Roki was posted by the NPB he wasn’t the normal free agent we see here in the MLB. Sasaki has yet to accrue 6 years of professional service time which would have allowed him to discuss with whomever he pleases, just like Yamamoto in 2024.
However, his service time forced his hand to follow his posted date, in this scenario Sasaki had 45 days to speak with any team that came his way and the money wasn’t a huge factor with reports stating the Blue Jays offered the most, being just around a $7 million signing bonus.
Sasaki’s signing broke headlines, and with the Japanese righty added to the rotation the Dodgers looking stronger than ever, and many fans are addressing them as a “Super Team”. Sasaki will receive a $6.5 million signing bonus with LA, and will now be under team control for the next six years. Being in a cost controlled contract can possibly be the most painful steal of the offseason for other teams, including the Padres who seemed to be in on Sasaki the most all offseason. The Yankees were also announced by Sasaki’s team that he will not sign with New York just days before his decision.
As much as other teams heavily pursued the righty, LA was always a head of the bunch. Being in Los Angeles adds no difficulty for Roki in his transition to the MLB. LA has stars in Ohtani and Yamamoto, who can fill in for Bench chemistry. The city is closest back to home in his family, and the development of pitching has proved wonder to past pitchers for the Dodgers.
