Could the Los Angeles Dodgers land Roki Sasaki this offseason?
There are reportedly “indications” that Sasaki could be posted this offseason and head to MLB, per Kiley McDaniel of ESPN. McDaniel added that the Dodgers are “heavily favored” to land Sasaki if he does leave Nippon Professional Baseball.
Sasaki reportedly declined a deal with the Chiba Lotte Marines, his current team in NPB, earlier this week.
The Dodgers have one of the largest brands in Japan among MLB teams, as well as two of the biggest Japanese-born superstars in Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The Dodgers are also coming off of a World Series championship, all factors which some believe could lure Sasaki to the Dodgers.
On Monday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic also called the Dodgers “heavy favorites” to land Sasaki if he does leave for MLB.
“The suspicion among many in the industry, almost everyone in the industry, that if this guy is posted, Roki Sasaki becomes available, the Los Angeles Dodgers will be heavy, heavy favorites to sign him,” Rosenthal said Monday on Foul Territory. “And can you imagine what that team would mean in Japan, then. It already has Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto to get Sasaki as well, well it would be even more so Japan’s team.”
Sasaki is believed to be one of the most talented pitching prospects in the world right now. He has thrown fastballs eclipsing 100 miles per hour, and has set the world record for the most consecutive strikeouts in a game with 13. He previously set the Japanese high school baseball record by throwing a 101 mph fastball. He is a two-time NPB All-Star, and holds the NPB record for the most strikeouts in a single game, 19. Sasaki was also part of the Japanese team that won the World Baseball Classic in 2023, and posted a 3.52 ERA and 11 strikeouts over the competition.
Adding Sasaki would bolster a Dodgers starting rotation that is already set to have Yamamoto, Ohtani, and Tyler Glasnow pitching next season. After myriad injuries to the rotation this season that almost marred their World Series quest, the Dodgers appear to be looking for further depth at the position. The Dodgers are reportedly also interested in former Cy Young award winning pitcher Blake Snell.
