Other free agent pitchers will sign bigger contracts this offseason, but none have the same appeal as Japanese right-hander Aki Sasaki.
The 23-year-old was posted last week, Dec. 9, and is expected to sign early in next year's international free agency period, as a deal needs to be finalized before the end of a 45-day deadline. It's January 23rd.
In-person meetings with team candidates are scheduled to begin as early as this week, and there remains considerable uncertainty regarding Sasaki's departure.
Throughout the lead-up to free agency, the Dodgers were considered the most likely landing spot.
More recently, and since his agent Joel Wolfe's comments at last week's winter meetings, “I think there's an argument that a small to medium-sized team would be more beneficial for him as a soft landing from Japan.'' -That way of thinking has changed.
The Padres are now considered a real threat to Sasaki, but that hasn't stopped the Yankees, Mets, and, of course, the Dodgers from pursuing a player they believe will follow a similar path to Yoshinobu Yamamoto. He signed a $325 million contract with the Dodgers last offseason.
Because Sasaki is only 23 years old, he is restricted from signing a contract that does not exceed the bonus pool that MLB allocates to teams, which currently maxes out at about $7.5 million.
All of these factors lead observers to believe that the Yankees, like the Mets, could be at a disadvantage when it comes to acquiring Sasaki.
But other executives said it was all speculation until they had a face-to-face meeting with Sasaki, who, as Wolff pointed out, has suffered from shoulder injuries and oblique strains in the past. are.
Still, Yankees GM Brian Cashman said last week that Sasaki's “intent is to be one of the greatest pitchers on the planet, and we would love to be a part of making that happen.”
Sasaki could also be sold because of his history with Masahiro Tanaka and Hideki Matsui.
Mets Director of Baseball Operations David Stearns, who has Kodai Chiga in the rotation, added that the Mets are “going to do our best.” With these processes, it is very difficult to truly understand player preferences. ”
Another giant lurking is the Dodgers, who already have Shohei Ohtani and Yamamoto on the roster.
Los Angeles President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman added last week that Sasaki is a “top priority” for the reigning World Series champions.
“This is not something you can practice,” said another executive. “You just have to hope for the best.”
