Roki Sasaki’s group of suitors has been whittled down to three finalists, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and Toronto Blue Jays. The Japanese right-hander is expected to wait until closer to the end of his 45-day posting process before making a signing decision.
The Dodgers have been the presumptive favorite since the Chiba Lotte Marines announced they would post Sasaki. They have met with him at least once, along with other teams such as the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers. Sasaki’s representatives also visited the Toronto Blue Jays last week, which was seen as a late entrant in the running.
The San Diego Padres are long considered the Dodgers’ biggest competition for Sasaki due to their need for cheap starting pitching and Yu Darvish’s prior relationship with the pitcher. The Dodgers have a unique appeal, having entrenched themselves in the Japanese market through previous signings such as Hideo Nomo, Hiroki Kuroda, and Kenta Maeda.
Manager Dave Roberts has stated that turning the continent into a hub for the franchise is a major goal, and the signing of Sasaki would be a significant step towards this goal. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has called the pursuit of Sasaki a “major priority.” Money will likely not be the deciding factor, as Sasaki chose to come stateside two years before he could fully cash in.
The Dodgers and Padres have already made adjustments to clear space for Sasaki’s potential arrival, which has sent teams into a frenzy. The Toronto Blue Jays are also in the running, but it remains to be seen how their pursuit will play out.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6059762/2025/01/13/roki-sasaki-finalists-dodgers-padres-blue-jays