Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki to start assembly with groups

DALLAS — Japanese free agent pitcher Roki Sasaki will start assembly with MLB groups subsequent week as he begins the method of selecting the place he needs to play subsequent season, agent Joel Wolfe stated on Tuesday morning on the winter conferences.

Sasaki, 23, was posted by his Japanese workforce, Chiba Lotte, this week and is free to signal with a corporation no sooner than Jan. 15. Because of his age, worldwide guidelines solely allow him to signal a minor league deal not like final 12 months’s prime free agent arm, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who signed with the Dodgers for $325 million. Yamamoto is three years older. Players underneath 25 and with lower than six years of expertise can solely signal minor league offers as a world novice.

Sasaki was 10-5 with a 2.35 ERA within the Japan Pacific League final season after posting a 1.78 ERA in 2023.

“Some of it’s Japanese tradition, a few of it’s simply Roki Sasaki,” Wolfe stated when requested why Sasaki did not wish to wait till he turned 25 to make extra fast cash in MLB. “There aren’t any absolutes in baseball, there aren’t any absolutes in life and thru Roki Sasaki’s eyes — and for those who take a look at a number of the issues which have occurred in his life — a number of the tragedies which have occurred in his life, he doesn’t take something with no consideration.”

Sasaki misplaced his father within the aftermath of a 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

He’ll first meet groups at a central location subsequent week earlier than starting visits to particular person cities. Upward of half the league scouted him in Japan final season as Wolfe is not fairly certain what his consumer’s needs are simply but.

“I’m not solely certain but as a result of I’ve recognized Roki for somewhat over two years now and it has been somewhat bit troublesome to actually confirm what his decision-making course of can be for selecting a workforce as a result of his focus has predominantly been on whether or not or not he is going to have the ability to submit,” Wolfe stated. “The finest I can say is he has paid consideration to how groups have performed so far as general success each this 12 months and in years previous.”

There has been trade hypothesis that the Los Angeles Dodgers had been the predetermined, clear favorites to land Sasaki — a notion each the workforce and Wolfe denied.

“There had been some accusations, allegations, all of them false made about predetermined offers, issues like that,” Wolfe stated.

Considering his price ticket is only a minor league deal — groups cannot even speak about a possible extension till after he joins their group — Wolfe indicated each big- and small-market groups have expressed curiosity. He was requested if Sasaki needs to affix a workforce that already employs Japanese gamers. He has a superb relationship with Padres star Yu Darvish in addition to those that performed on Team Japan within the WBC.

“Each participant is exclusive in how they really feel about it, and I believe it additionally issues on the participant that’s already on the workforce,” Wolfe answered. “He asks loads of questions on climate, about comfortability, about pitching improvement, and simply watching what different Japanese gamers within the main leagues are doing and the way they’re doing.”

Wolfe dismissed any geography points exterior of the West Coast, citing many cities have direct flights to and from Japan not like a “decade in the past.” Wolfe was additionally requested what his recommendation to Sasaki is as they start a singular course of which most resembles the one Shohei Ohtani went via earlier than he signed with the Angels in 2017.

“My recommendation to him is do not decide primarily based on [the next contract] as a result of the long-term arc of your profession is the place you are going to earn your cash,” Wolfe stated. “So it is most likely not advisable to make a short-term determination in that regard, to take the entire components into consideration.”

Wolfe is hopeful his consumer will signal near when the brand new worldwide window for spending opens on Jan.15. That would give Sasaki time to clear any visa points in an effort to report back to spring coaching on time. He’ll have to take action underneath the rules of a minor league deal however can rapidly be promoted to the main league workforce every time his employer needs.

“It’s at all times been his dream to come back to the main leagues since he was in highschool,” Wolfe stated.