Roki Sasaki, the highly touted Japanese pitcher, has chosen the Los Angeles Dodgers over the San Diego Padres, who offered him more than $10 million. The decision was not solely based on the financial offer, as Sasaki’s agent described his client’s “long-term, global view” and desire for a team to help him develop into the greatest pitcher in the world.
The Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, Andrew Friedman, believed that Sasaki has the potential to be the best pitcher globally, which aligned with the team’s goals. However, the Padres were unable to make a convincing presentation despite their larger financial offer due to internal issues, including financial struggles and an ownership lawsuit.
In contrast, the Blue Jays made sacrifices to stay in the race, taking on outfielder Myles Straw’s salary to gain international bonus pool space. Sasaki ultimately decided to join the Dodgers, who offered him $6.5 million, significantly less than what San Diego or Toronto could have provided. The team’s high-level organization and leadership played a significant role in his decision.
Source: https://www.si.com/mlb/dodgers/news/roki-sasaki-spurned-padres-massive-10-million-offer-to-sign-with-dodgers-01jj2axxdp5x