Roki Sasaki is expected to be the next Yu Darvish or Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Fans are eager to see where the Japanese star makes his MLB debut. Sasaki is expected to be a part of the international amateur signing class. According to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, he will be eligible to sign with a team only mid-way through January.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are rumored to be huge favorites to sign Roki Sasaki. Furthermore, several teams will pursue the star once he is available in the market. The San Deigo Padres are also believed to be favorites for signing Sasaki.
MLB insider Jim Bowden believes that Sasaki would not get enough recognition if he joined the Dodgers. Bowden feels that Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto would overpower Sasaki.
“In Los Angeles, Sasaki would be in the shadow of both Shohei Ohtani and Yamamoto, which would lessen his endorsement ceiling,” Bowden wrote (via MLB.com).
Bowden also believes that if Sasaki joins the Padres, he will get plenty of endorsements in Japan. The 23-year-old will also get to play with his idol, Yu Darvish.
“If Sasaki signs with a team such as the Padres, not only would he share a clubhouse with his idol, Yu Darvish, the 23-year-old “could potentially maximize his endorsements in Japan,” Bowden continued.
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Roki Sasaki’s Minor League Deal Keeps Him Open To All 30 Teams
Roki Sasaki is just 23 years old, which means he could only sign a minor-league deal in the majors. That said, every team will be able to afford the star pitcher. The market would explode as every team would try to go all in to sign Sasaki.
The Dodgers have signed Blake Snell and have extended Tommy Edman. They are also expected to sign Teoscar Hernandez. It’s a long shot for the team to bring in Sasaki. Moreover, they have Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, and enough pitchers for their starting rotation.
Sasaki will take a while to enter the MLB and start actively pitching. It’s also uncertain if any team will have an advantage over the pitcher. As many predict, Sasaki is expected to choose when he’s eligible.
Also Read: Blue Jays Journalist Believes That Juan Soto Could Be A ‘Distant Fourth’ To Secure A Deal In Toronto
