With Roki Sasaki set to make a decision, Dodgers hope their pursuit pays off
A little more than a year ago, the Dodgers saw an opportunity on the horizon.
They knew Japanese two-way star Shohei Ohtani was entering a historic free agency. They knew decorated Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto was planning to come from Japan to the majors. And they knew another potential generational Japanese arm, Roki Sasaki, wouldn’t be far behind.
It was a chance, as some with the team have termed it, to “paint Japan blue” and enhance both the Dodgers’ roster and their international brand.
This week the team is hoping it can turn the last part of that dream into reality.
The Dodgers signed Ohtani and Yamamoto last offseason. And now they reportedly are finalists for Sasaki, who could sign as soon as Wednesday when the international signing period officially opens.
Two New York Yankees fans that interfered with Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts during Game 4 of the World Series are banned from all MLB ballparks.
“He’s someone that is obviously a major priority for us,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said this winter. “We’re going to do whatever we can, and know that there are a lot of other teams that are going to do the exact same thing.”
Now though, the number of finalists for his services is down to three, ESPN reported Monday night, with the San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays also still in the running.
When the Dodgers embarked on this pursuit last year and targeted each member of the Japanese trifecta as a potential cornerstone of their future, it initially seemed doubtful they would land all three — let alone more than one.
Back then, there was a belief around the industry that Japanese players preferred to play on different major league teams. And while Dodgers decision-makers didn’t necessarily subscribe to the theory, they were unsure if the dynamic would impede their trans-Pacific triple play.
There also were financial dynamics that added complexity to the pursuits. It was clear Ohtani would command a record-breaking contract. Yamamoto’s young age (he was just 25 when he signed) made him another candidate for a big-money deal. And though Sasaki is limited to signing only a minor-league contract with a modest signing bonus, since he is coming to the majors before turning 25, the Dodgers faced obstacles there as well. Thanks to MLB penalties against teams that exceed the luxury tax threshold, the club owned the smallest international signing bonus pools in the 2025 class.
Nonetheless, the Dodgers were undeterred.
They made an all-out push for Ohtani, then celebrated when he agreed to a 10-year, $700-million contract in which almost all of his salary would be deferred. That created a domino effect with Yamamoto, who credited Ohtani’s presence — and recruiting efforts — as a key reason for signing his 12-year, $325-million contract a few weeks later.
And now, it’s looking increasingly likely that Sasaki could follow in their footsteps this week, as he embarks upon an eight-day period to sign before his posting window closes Jan. 23.
The Dodgers have long been seen as a top contender for Sasaki, a hard-throwing 23-year-old right-hander who had a 2.10 earned-run average in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league.
First and foremost, they are World Series champions and consensus betting favorites to defend their title; the kind of instant contender that could aid Sasaki’s personal goal of becoming “the No. 1 player in the world,” a goal that his agent relayed to reporters this offseason.
Their lengthy history of pitching injuries aside, the Dodgers also are seen as one of the more pitching-savvy franchises in baseball; the kind of place Sasaki, who topped 100 innings only twice in his four-year Japanese career, could continue to develop as a young starter.
While the Dodgers will be sacrificing potential offensive upside in trading Gavin Lux, they are banking on the overall versatility of the roster.
Endorsement dollars also could factor in. Thanks to Ohtani and Yamamoto, the Dodgers are considered the most prominent MLB brand in Japan, where they will open their season in March with two games against the Chicago Cubs. And since Sasaki’s signing bonus will be limited to $5 million to $10 million, the Dodgers could present robust opportunities for him to maximize his earnings off the field.
Then there is the Ohtani-Yamamoto effect. Both played with Sasaki on Japan’s title-winning team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Both have relationships with the pitcher, something that could work in the Dodgers’ favor the way it did with Yamamoto last offseason.
Of course, the Dodgers are not alone in the Sasaki sweepstakes. Both the Padres and Blue Jays have their own appeals, as well as histories with other star Japanese players. Yu Darvish, another friend and former WBC teammate of Sasaki’s, headlines the Padres’ rotation.
Still, the Dodgers have been optimistic about their chances. This past week, speculation of Sasaki coming to L.A. was further fueled when one of the top players in the Dodgers’ 2025 international class, Dominican shortstop Darrell Morel, reportedly flipped his commitment to the Pittsburgh Pirates — a move that theoretically would open up more of the $5.1 million available in the Dodgers’ bonus pool (tied with the San Francisco Giants for the smallest in the majors).
The Dodgers protected Diego Cartaya, the crown jewel of their highly touted farm system, for years. Injuries and poor performance prompted a change.
“We’re gonna put our best foot forward about what we feel like we can help provide short-term, long-term development with our pitching group and our veteran players, and do everything we can to put our best foot forward,” Friedman said at the winter meetings. “Ultimately, this is a personal decision, and we’ll respect whatever that is. But we want to feel like we represented our organization and our city to the best of our ability.”
Sasaki’s list of contenders has narrowed in recent days. Giants general manager Zack Minasian revealed Monday that his club had been informed by Sasaki’s camp it was out of the running. That was followed by reports that the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks and others had received the same message.
That left the Dodgers, San Diego and Toronto. Reports from the Athletic this week indicated Sasaki visited the latter two cities after recently returning from Japan for a holiday break.
Within the next week, Sasaki will have to make a decision. And the Dodgers’ hope remains that, just like last season, they will be able to woo another top Japanese talent to Los Angeles.
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