The Los Angeles Dodgers are in the running to sign Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki, who will make a decision between Jan. 15 and Jan. 23.
As things stand, the Dodgers have $5,146,200 in international bonus pool space for the 2025 signing period. But their exact number available is unknown due to previous agreements with prospects and how many deals they’ve backed out of.
The Dodgers were expected to sign Darrell Morel and Orlando Patiño, but those plans changed with Sasaki on the verge of choosing his next team. Morel will now sign with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Patiño is heading to the Chicago White Sox.
According to Will Sammon, Dennis Lin and Andy McCullough of The Athletic, the Dodgers are asking players to consider waiting for the 2026 international signing period when their funds will replenish:
The Dodgers have told players to consider signing as part of next year’s class if the team lands Sasaki and can’t acquire enough international bonus pool money via trade to honor their handshake agreements, league sources said.
It is believed that the San Diego Padres have also asked commits to considering waiting for the next signing period if they are unable to sign them this year.
Teams can add to their international bonus pool space via trade, but all teams are capped at adding a maximum of 60% of their original funds.
In addition to Morel and Patiño, the Dodgers may end up on the outside looking in with Teilon Serrano. He’s the top teenaged international free agent who was due to be part of their 2025 class.
While that still could come to fruition, Serrano raised some eyebrows by removing mention of the Dodgers from his Instagram profile.
Dodgers among finalists for Roki Sasaki
Sasaki reportedly informed the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Texas Rangers, San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs that he will not sign with them. That leaves the Dodgers, Padres and Toronto Blue Jays as the three finalists for the right-hander.
Sasaki reportedly met with the Blue Jays and Padres last week, but it isn’t known if he visited the Dodgers at any point.
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