The next Japanese-born superstar is on his way to the Major Leagues. Although the Dodgers seem like the most likely candidates for rookie starting pitcher Roki Sasaki, the franchise does not have a deal in place with the star right-hander, despite reports. The Dodgers wouldn't even be allowed to negotiate with him yet as he hasn't officially been posted.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the San Diego Padres are the Dodgers biggest competitors for Saskai. Both Southern California teams have Japanese-born players on their team, which would make Sasaki’s transition to the new league smoother.
While the Dodgers have Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Padres have Yu Darvish. The trio of Japanese-born players all have experience transitioning from Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan to the Major Leagues in the U.S. Therefore, it is likely that Sasaki would want to sign with either team because of their experience with developing international players and pre-existing Japanese players that could serve as mentors.
One advantage the Padres have over the Dodgers is Darvish’s relationship with Sasaki. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the pair are close friends.
However, the Dodgers are coming off of a World Series title, making both Yamamoto and Ohtani first-time champions in just one season with the franchise. Additionally, Yamamoto and Ohtani have grown the love for the Dodgers in Japan, which may influence Sasaki’s decision on where to sign.
“If I were a star Japanese player, I’d want to be a Dodger, too,” one insider told Heyman.
The Dodgers are also rumored to be connected to Houston Astros left-handed starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi. Born and raised in Japan, Kikuchi would be an additional figure of support and mentorship for Sasaki if both pitchers signed with Los Angeles.
Sasaki will begin his MLB career after four seasons with the Chiba Lotte Marines in NPB. He started his professional baseball career at just 19 years old in 2021. This season, he posted a 10-5 record while logging a 2.35 ERA with 129 strikeouts and 32 walks across 111 innings.
The addition of Sasaki would bolster the Dodgers’ rotation, which suffered immensely with injuries last season. The Los Angeles front office is also linked to other free agent pitchers like San Francisco Giants' Blake Snell, Atlanta Braves' Max Fried, Baltimore Orioles' Corbin Burnes, and trade target Chicago White Sox southpaw Garrett Crochet.
The Dodgers may also consider keeping Walker Buehler, who shined in the postseason but officially entered free agency. In addition to Yamamoto and Ohtani, Los Angeles are expected to have Tyler Glasnow, Landon Knack, Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May, and Emmet Sheehan.
