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That's how 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel felt after spending the last two months of the just-ended season with Aki Sasaki as teammates with the Chiba Lotte Marines. There's nothing he can't do. ”
The Marines announced Saturday that Sasaki, who turned 23 last week, will be hired this off-season. Because Sasaki is under 25, he cannot be treated as an unconditional free agent, like Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who was close to signing a pitcher's record 12-year, $325 million contract last year. Instead, Sasaki will mirror what happened when Shohei Ohtani arrived after the 2017 season, signed only a minor league contract and could receive a bonus amount in the team's international bonus pool.
Ohtani signed for just $2.3 million. Even if Sasaki were to delay his contract until the start of the 2025 period after January 15th, the team currently has roughly $5 million to $7.5 million to sign him with the potential to trade him a little more. are. But the dollar amount is a technicality and does not reflect the man who is seen as having a chance to surpass Ohtani, Yu Darvish and Hideo Nomo as the best pitcher to come to MLB from Japan.
That should spark a frenzied pursuit. But will it? Many teams, including the Mets and Yankees, have relentlessly scouted Sasaki, sending their leaders to meet with him and show their respect for his seriousness. However, within the industry, the Dodgers are even considered a strong favorite to win the title, other than the fact that they already have him. Especially with the signing of Otani and the signing of Yamamoto, the new champions became the Japanese national team. “I saw some Yankees hats, but every shirt and hat had the 'D' for Dodger on it,” Keuchel observed.
“I've heard some rumors that a deal is done with the Dodgers. You know, he has a plan,” Keuchel added. “If I were Las Vegas, I'd definitely put them as the favorite to win, but I don't know. We've never really talked about it.”
Keuchel said of the New York club: “We talked about the two teams on the East Coast. I think the Dodgers have the advantage just because Shohei, Yamamoto and even Darvish were pitching for the Dodgers in the '17 playoffs. (All over Japan) Where did they go? But in the morning, the Dodgers were on TV, just because of those guys. So we talked briefly about pinstripes and the Mets, but there wasn't really a core team that we talked about. did.”
In theory, any team would try to acquire Sasaki due to his cost control and talented personnel. Sasaki posted an ERA of 2.02 with the Chiba Lotte Marines in four seasons in Japanese baseball, with 524 strikeouts in 414 2/3 innings. He also shined at the 2023 World Baseball Classic (11 strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings).
“Sometimes we take them for granted because they (routinely dominate) do well so often,” Keuchel said by phone. “And while everyone wants to talk about the new hot product or who did well that year, the reality is that there are people who are always making numbers and don't really appreciate it. And I think what he's done in the innings he pitched when he was younger in Japan. He's also in control.'' So let's talk about something else (other than Sasaki). And for me, that's for sure, I think he'll do very well in America.”
Keuchel analyzed Sasaki on a scouting scale ranging from a 20 to a top-grade 80.
Pitchability is -70. “I saw many times where his fastball didn’t get to him early and he was able to land a strike on his slider or even a split.”
– 70 or higher for fastballs. “He can throw 93, 94 miles per hour and be successful,'' Keuchel said, trying to “impress” all the MLB officials who came to see him and perform above average. He said there was a lot left behind. Sasaki often took the lead at speeds exceeding 160 miles per hour.
The splitter is -65-70. Keuchel thought it was the best off-speed pitch, and one that often goes unhittable.
His slider is -70, and as he learns the change in speed, “Any chance to get to 80, that's great. He can throw a pitch like Dylan Cease 60 percent of the time.”
Keuchel, who won 103 games in MLB, also cited a “plus, plus mentality.”
“I'm usually tough on grades, but he's 23 years old so I'm being generous here,” Keuchel said. “I made my debut at 24 and it took me two more seasons to really develop. And I see him as a 23-year-old developing a pretty good batsman. I really think I can do well (in MLB).”
Keuchel organized a pitcher's dinner to get to know his teammates better, and described Sasaki as “intelligent” and hungry for information, making him a great addition to the clubhouse. He noted that Sasaki was working on English.
“He's a curious young man who is very quiet even about his Japanese culture,” Keuchel said. “But you can't ignore that because I think he loves winning and he loves baseball. I think he literally wants to be the best version of himself. And he I truly believe that I think I can be one of the best pitchers of all time.”
