Roki Sasaki was officially posted by the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) this week, starting the countdown for one of the most anticipated international free agent signings in MLB history.
Sasaki could technically sign before the 2024 international signing period closes in less than a week, but the expectation is that he will wait until the 2025 international signing period opens on Jan 15.
There will be a freeze on international signings from Dec. 16 through Jan. 14, 2025, but Sasaki and his representation from Wasserman Media Group could still meet with teams and negotiate a contract.
Agent Joel Wolfe said he has advised Sasaki to not focus on signing bonus and limited international pool money available in his first MLB contract and to instead keep the long-term picture in mind, via ESPN’s Jesse Rogers:
“My advice to him is don’t make a decision based on [the next contract] because the long-term arc of your career is where you’re going to earn your money,” Wolfe said. “So it’s probably not advisable to make a short-term decision in that regard, to take all of the factors into consideration.”
Because Sasaki hasn’t reached the age of 25 or six seasons in NPB, he is subject to international signing rules as an amateur free agent rather than entering MLB free agency without any limitations on his contract.
Shohei Ohtani was in a similar position as he had to settle for a $2.315 million signing bonus with the Los Angeles Angels when he made the jump to MLB. Ohtani’s earnings steadily increased before cashing in on a record-setting contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers when he reached free agency for the second time.
The Dodgers and San Diego Padres have long been viewed as the favorites to sign Sasaki, but Wolfe indicated that he will consider all 30 teams.
There was a belief that Sasaki may prefer pitching on the West Coast and potentially with a team that has a Japanese player, but recent reports suggest those are not deal breakers.
Roki Sasaki ‘ready to go’ for jump to MLB
Former Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Gregory Polanco, who spent the last two years with the Marines, said Sasaki has been eyeing a move to the Majors for quite some time.
Polanco tried convincing Sasaki to remain in Japan for a few more seasons, but the right-hander was adamant making his MLB debut in 2025.
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