Following their battle over Juan Soto, the Yankees and Mets may find themselves in another high-profile showdown, this time for Japanese pitching sensation Roki Sasaki. The Chiba Lotte Marines officially posted the 23-year-old ace on Monday, opening a 45-day negotiation window starting Tuesday and closing January 23. If no deal is reached within this timeframe, Sasaki will return to the Marines.
Unlike Soto, Sasaki’s signing won’t hinge on a record-breaking offer. Because he’s under 25, he qualifies as an international amateur free agent, meaning teams face financial restrictions in their bids. This process mirrors the pursuit of Shohei Ohtani before he joined the Angels, rather than Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s recent $300 million-plus contract saga, which saw him choose the Dodgers over the Yankees and Mets.
Sasaki’s decision is expected to prioritize personal preferences over money. If financial gain were his main goal, he could have waited until turning 25 to secure a much larger deal. Teams like the Dodgers and Padres are seen as West Coast frontrunners, thanks to their established Japanese stars and supportive environments. Similarly, the Mets (with Kodai Senga) and Cubs (featuring Shota Imanaga) could appeal to Sasaki. The Yankees may leverage their storied history with Japanese pitchers and the allure of the Bronx to make their case.
The Yankees remain eager to bolster their rotation after falling short in the Soto race and have plenty of financial flexibility. As they explore every opportunity to strengthen their roster, Sasaki’s decision will likely shape another exciting chapter in this offseason’s bidding wars.
Leave a Reply