More than a year of speculation ended on Nov. 9, when the Chiba Lotte Marines announced their intentions to post Roki Sasaki for MLB free agency this offseason.
Sasaki had long been rumored to be eying a jump to Major League Baseball heading into the 2025 regular season, but there was uncertainty surrounding that possibility and details of his contract with the Nippon Professional Baseball team.
While it became known that the right-hander would be available to negotiate with MLB teams, more waiting has ensued over the past month.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Sasaki is going to be posted during the Winter Meetings in Dallas:
Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki is expected to be officially posted at Major League Baseball’s winter meetings next week, sources told ESPN on Saturday, opening a 45-day window in which teams will try to convince him to choose them once the international amateur signing period opens Jan. 15.
The annual MLB Winter Meetings unofficially begin Sunday as general managers and more league personnel will begin to arrive in Dallas. They then will be in full swing starting Monday as managers are scheduled to hold individual media availability.
The Los Angeles Dodgers continue to be the perceived favorite — if not inevitable selection — for Sasaki. However, because he is only 23 years old and has less than six years of experience in NPB, he is subject to MLB’s amateur free agency rules.
Thus, seemingly all 30 teams will be involved for the bidding as they look to empty their respective international bonus pool money.
Agent Joel Wolfe vehemently denied a handshake agreement was in place with the Dodgers and voiced his frustration over that perception while noting Sasaki would evaluate each team equally.
The Dodgers have the largest amount of bonus pool money remaining for the 2024 international period at $2.5 million. That was widely perceived to be set aside for Sasaki in the event he suddenly became available, which wasn’t known to be the case until last month.
But with Sasaki not joining a team until the 2025 international signing period begins Jan. 15, the Dodgers won’t hold that same financial advantage. However, their bonus pool does increase to $5.1 million.
Roki Sasaki timeline
With Sasaki not due to be officially posted until some point during the Winter Meetings, it will ensure his 45-day window to sign with a team extends into the middle of January.
Sasaki’s decision could be known before then, but the earliest date the Japanese phenom would sign with a team is when the 2025 international period opens on Jan. 15.
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