Former GM Predicts Roki Sasaki Doesn’t Join Dodgers, Instead Joins Major Rival

The Roki Sasaki sweepstakes are heating up.

It is no question that the 23-year-old right handed phenom is going to make a major splash for a lucky MLB team this season as he departs from Nippon Professional Baseball. Sasaki has the numbers to prove he is planning on making a lasting impact with 129 strikeouts in 111 innings pitched last season while posting an ERA of 2.35.

Although seven teams reportedly met with the international prospect, the Los Angeles Dodgers are seen as a favorite to end up with Sasaki. L.A.’s talent, pitching room, farm system, and, of course, being the defending champions of the North American baseball world are more than enough of a reason to see how the speculation makes sense.

Not to mention, Shohei Ohtani — the reigning NL MVP — will join a Dodgers’ rotation in 2025 featuring Yoshinobu Yamamoto, both of whom are former teammates of Sasaki on the Japanese national team in last year’s World Baseball Classic.

Although former teammates may seem like an unparalleled bonus for the prospect to land in Los Angeles, The Athletic’s Jim Bowden notes that two of the Dodgers’ rivals may have the edge when it comes to their roster.

Bowden’s prediction is either the New York Yankees or San Diego Padres will land the Japanese superstar.

The 23-year-old’s favorite player growing up was Masahiro Tanaka. Tanaka, a Yankee for seven seasons who bookended his time in New York with 11 dominant NPB seasons, is a known mentor of the phenom.

Yu Darvish, another Sasaki teammate during the 2023 World Baseball Classic and current San Diego Padres veteran, is someone who is considered a godfather-type influence on Sasaki and another mentor for him.

Bowden also sees Ohtani’s return to the mound and Yamamoto as a major part of the Dodgers’ rotation as a detriment claiming, “he’d be in the shadow of both Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, lessening his endorsement ceiling.”

Outside endorsements could also prove to be a valuable asset given the cap on how much Sasaki can make as an international player under the age of 25 with less than six years of experience. He is limited to each team’s international bonus pools ranging from “roughly $5.1 million to 7.5 million,” according to Bowden.

Sasaki can make an instant impact with any franchise, but given his age and how much talent he already possesses, there is no telling where his ceiling will be.

Photo Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

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