Roki Sasaki was officially posted for MLB free agency by the Chiba Lotte Marines after the application was approved by the league. Sasaki’s posting window to begin negotiating with teams opened at 2 p.m. PT on Tuesday, Dec. 10.
All 30 MLB clubs now have 45 days to negotiate with Sasaki and attempt to sign him to a contract. However, there is a slight wrinkle in his situation.
Because Sasaki was posted on Dec. 10, he could sign in either the 2024 international signing period or the 2025 international signing period.
If Sasaki signs for the 2024 period, he would have to reach an agreement by Dec. 15, which is when that current signing period ends. That situation is unlikely to happen.
From Dec. 16 until Jan. 14, 2025, there is a freeze on all international signings as the period transitions to the next year.
So if Sasaki was to sign in the 2025 period, he’d have to wait until Jan. 15. That is the most likely outcome as more teams would be in the mix and international bonus pool totals would reset as part of the new signing period after most already exhausted their resources for 2024.
Sasaki is subject to the international signing rules for amateur players because he does not have six years of professional experience and he’s under 25 years old.
His process will look more like Shohei Ohtani’s when he signed for $2.3 million from the Los Angeles Angels, rather than Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s as he received $325 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers.
If Sasaki signed in the 2024 period, he would be capped to making $2,502,500, which is the highest figure any team could offer and belongs to the Dodgers.
The Orioles are second with just over $2.1 million, no other team has more than $1.5 million, and many clubs range from less than $1 million to no money left.
When the 2025 international signing period begins, those numbers will jump with eight teams having $7.55 million, six teams having just shy of $7 million, and no team having less than $5.1 million available.
For the Dodgers, they go from leading in available funds in the 2024 signing period, to being tied for the least amount in the 2025 period at just over $5.1 million. The Dodgers — and any team for that matter — could trade to acquire up to additional 30% of their original bonus pool total.
The team that signs Sasaki will also be subject to pay a 20% fee on the total value of the contract to the Marines.
Favorites to sign Roki Sasaki?
Because Sasaki is already passing up on hundreds of millions to come to MLB early, a difference of up to $2 million isn’t expected to be a deciding factor for him, and he is rather focusing on the fit with his next team.
The Dodgers and San Diego Padres are the perceived favorites, but every team will make their case to sign the phenom.
Regardless of where he picks, Sasaki will be highly coveted and he has been looking forward to playing in MLB for quite some time.
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