Japanese free agent pitcher Roki Sasaki reportedly requested that no team include any of their own players in the recruiting visits for him, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
Currently, Sasaki is back in Japan with his family, mulling over his decision, which has to come at some point between Jan. 15 and Jan. 23, according to Andy Martino of SNY. This is after Sasaki met with teams at Wasserman agency’s Los Angeles offices. He might meet with one or two more teams, or soon to begin eliminating teams, according to Martino.
Sasaki’s agent, Joel Wolfe, spoke to reporters on a Zoom call on Monday, and said that market size is not a consideration for him in this process, according to Martino. His agent said that 20 teams reached out to him with recruiting materials and that he is prioritizing teams whose pitching programs will make him better.
Why is Roki Sasaki coming to MLB now?
Sasaki’s decision to come to MLB now, as opposed to two years from now, essentially means that he is leaving hundreds of millions of dollars on the table. If he had waited a few years, he likely would have gotten a large contract, like Yoshinobu Yamamoto did last offseason with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Instead, he will be signing with a team as an amateur free agent, like Shohei Ohtani initially did with the Los Angeles Angels in 2018, and be under team control for six years at a much cheaper value. Wolfe explained why Sasaki made the decision to come over now.
“He’s a guy that wants to be great,” Wolfe said, via Nightengale. “He’s not coming here just to be rich. He wants to be one of the greatest, ever.”
Sasaki’s decision to leave Japan now caused him to receive some criticism from fans and media in the country. Still, Sasaki is arguably the most coveted asset this offseason due to his age, potential and price. The team that ends up signing him will have a potential ace-level starting pitcher for six years at what would be a huge discount.
While the perception is that west coast teams like the Dodgers and San Diego Padres are the favorites, teams like the New York Yankees, New York Mets, and others had meetings with Sasaki, and he is playing keeping things close to the vest until his final decision comes.
The post MLB rumors: Roki Sasaki makes clear request to interested teams amid offseason sweepstakes appeared first on ClutchPoints.
0 Mga Komento