Roki Sasaki News: Having Japanese Teammates on MLB Team Not Important to Dodgers Target
The Los Angeles Dodgers seem like the inevitable landing spot for Roki Sasaki. They are the reigning World Series champions and have a large fanbase in Japan. If not the Dodgers, the San Diego Padres are widely considered another frontrunner for the free agent.
Both Southern California teams have Japanese-born players on their roster. The Dodgers have Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto while the Padres have Yu Darvish. All three played alongside Sasaki at the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Although many people factor their presence into where Sasaki will sign, the right-hander’s agent revealed it is irrelevant to Sasaki.
More news: Roki Sasaki’s Agent Reveals Timeline for Dodgers Target to Complete Process
“We’ve had numerous conversations about team location, market size, teams’ success … but he doesn’t seem overly concerned about whether a team has Japanese players or not,” Wolfe said last week on a Zoom call with reporters. “In the past, as I’ve represented Japanese players, that was sometimes an issue, but it was never a topic of discussion.”
Typically, an international free agent may want to join a team that has experience transitioning players into the Major Leagues. However, Sasaki seems to have different priorities.
Both the Dodgers and Padres offer desirable locations in Southern California. Additionally, both teams are coming off successful seasons. Therefore, the deciding factor for Sasaki may be market size, which differs between the two National League West franchises.
Los Angeles is one of the most popular MLB teams, which may be overwhelming to the incoming rookie. Meanwhile, the Padres offer a much smaller market size that would allow Sasaki to transition to the new league in a calmer setting.
Wolfe said that Sasaki may prefer a team with a smaller market size to begin his MLB career, giving San Diego the upper hand. But, the Dodgers have a history of making blockbuster moves, and Sasaki has met with multiple other MLB teams in addition to the Dodgers and Padres
Sasaki will likely sign during the next international amateur signing period, which begins Jan. 15. Until then, the Dodgers will anxiously await his decision.
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Photo Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
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