Roki Sasaki could be the next Yu Darvish or Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Rumors of the Japanese star joining the MLB seem to get hotter every day. The Chiba Lotte Marines must release Sasaki to join the big leagues. However, a few teams have already emerged as favorites to sing the pitcher.
While rumors continue to swirl around Sasaki, MLB analyst Lance Brozdowski made a bold claim against Dodgers star Yamamoto. While it probably was not Brozdowski’s intention, he did say that Sasaki is a better pitcher than Yamamoto.
“I think he’s a better pitcher than Yamamoto, especially if he flashes anything like he flashed in the WBC in 2023. The overall package here is incredible. I’m definitely knocking him on this fastball thing, but the split here is one of my favorite splitters. It will be one of the most distinct splitters probably in baseball the second in steps on the major league mound,” Brozdowski said in an interview with Foul Territory.
Brozdowski believes several teams will be ready to offer their maximum international pool for Roki Sasaki. He further stated that Sasaki could pick the team he wanted to play for.
Roki Sasaki Would Prefer A Smaller Market Team, Per Report
According to Kiley Williams of ESPN, Sasaki would prefer to opt for a smaller team. Due to his age, Sasaki will be limited to international bonus pools. There are several reasons why the 23-year-old would prefer a smaller market team.
Sasaki will be new to the league, but the primary reason is that his velocity was not up to par last year. The Japanese star will benefit from settling down with a small team and opting for a huge contract later.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral MLB stories via Google! Follow Us
The Dodgers are among the favorites for signing Sasaki. They have the most international bonus pool and Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani. That said, they could pull some strings to bring in another Japanese pitcher.
Also Read: Blake Snell Landing Spots: Top 5 Potential Suitors For The Giants Star Including One Surprising Team
