The Chicago Cubs might have just gotten the news they were looking for this offseason.
Per Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball will post Japanese phenom pitcher Roki Sasaki this winter, which will make him available for all 30 Major League teams to sign.
That is massive.
Not only is he someone scouts and evaluators consider to be one of the best pitching talents in the world, but he's also a player who has been on the Cubs' radar for a long time with him being someone they might have scouted more than any team in the MLB.
Because Sasaki is coming stateside at just 23 years old, he will be signed as an international free agent on a minor league deal that takes his potential contract from being in the hundreds of millions of dollars, down to something that is likely less than $10 million.
For a Chicago franchise that is hesitant to go over the luxury tax threshold, already bowing out of the Juan Soto and Corbin Burnes sweepstakes this offseason, this could land them a long-term ace on a massively cost-effective contract.
The right-hander now immediately will become one of the most coveted players on the market this cycle.
All fans who aren't familiar with him need to know is that he's already produced a mythical-like career overseas with a 12-inning, 21-strikeout, 194-pitch complete game in high school and a 19-strikeout perfect game for Lotte when he was 20.
The Cubs could have a distinct advantage in negotiations as well.
Not only did Shota Imanaga come over this past offseason and dominate, but outfielder Seiya Suzuki has already produced a nice career in Chicago and is a finalist to win his first Silver Slugger award this year.
Sasaki would be a major addition for this Cubs roster.
He would give them another legitimate ace in their rotation to pair with Imanaga and Justin Steele, while also allowing them to still pursue other areas of need this winter as they look to construct a contending roster.
It's not known exactly when Lotte will post the phenom, but Chicago should be in the running to land another Japanese superstar.
