Japanese pitching star Roki Sasaki is set to shake up Major League Baseball’s offseason as he’s being posted by the Chiba Lotte Marines, giving MLB teams a shot at landing one of the world’s top young talents. The 23-year-old phenom has dominated in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball with a blazing fastball that hits 102 mph, a devastating slider, and an impressive 2.02 ERA over four seasons. Sasaki even has a perfect game under his belt.
Since Sasaki is just 23, MLB rules will treat him as an international amateur free agent, subjecting him to bonus pool limits. This means his first MLB contract will be relatively affordable, likely capping out at seven figures. The team that signs him will also pay Chiba Lotte a posting fee equal to 20% of his contract’s value. With Sasaki under team control until 2030, his future MLB team will get a star at a bargain price.
Sasaki’s entry into MLB resembles Shohei Ohtani’s path, as Ohtani initially joined the Angels on a modest deal before skyrocketing to superstardom. Sasaki’s deal will differ from that of 25-year-old Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who recently signed a $325 million contract with the Dodgers.
If Sasaki is posted in mid-December or later, more MLB teams could join the race, as the new international signing period begins in January with fresh bonus pools. But if he’s posted sooner, the Dodgers have an edge with their remaining $2.5 million in 2024’s bonus pool, which no other team matches.
Though Chiba Lotte could have waited two more years for a larger posting fee, they’re honoring Sasaki’s wish to head to MLB now. “Since joining us, Sasaki has shared his dream of playing in America,” said Chiba Lotte’s GM Naoki Matsumoto. “We’re supporting his journey and cheering him on as a representative of Japan.”
The Dodgers and Padres are rumored favorites due to their proximity to Japan, and almost every MLB team could be in the hunt for Sasaki. However, the “Sasaki sweepstakes” isn’t expected to impact the ongoing bidding war for Juan Soto, MLB’s top free agent, who is expected to command a record-breaking deal that could exceed even Ohtani’s $700 million contract with the Dodgers.