The Roki Sasaki sweepstakes are officially underway.
The 23-year-old pitching sensation from Japan has officially been posted, meaning all 30 MLB teams can make a play for Sasaki.
Since Sasaki isn’t 25 and doesn’t have six years’ experience, he will most likely sign a minor-league contract in the $7.5 million range, which is the top bonus pool international amateurs can receive. If he had waited two years to come over, he could have received a contract similar to Los Angeles Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto: 12 years, $325 million.
Joel Wolfe, Sasaki’s agent, told reporters at the MLB winter meetings this past week that after initial pitches, he and his client will begin to hold in-person meetings with interested teams. Wolfe indicated that Sasaki would be willing to sign with a smaller-market team.
“Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I think there’s an argument to be made that a small- or mid-market team might be more beneficial for him, as a soft landing, coming from Japan and what he’s been through and not having an enjoyable experience with the media,” Wolfe said, via MLB Trade Rumors. “I’m not saying it will be, but I don’t know how he’s going to do it. It might be beneficial for him to be in a smaller market, but I really don’t know how he looks at it yet because I haven’t had a chance to discuss it with him [at great length].”
With that in mind, a surprising suitor has emerged for Sasaki’s services.
Related: Top Japanese pitcher leaving hundreds of millions of dollars on table to sign with MLB team
Small-market American League playoff team plans to pitch Roki Sasaki
The Detroit Tigers made an improbable playoff run despite essentially waving the white flag at the trade deadline. On Aug. 10, the Tigers had a 0.2% chance to make the postseason. However, they kicked it into another gear, going 31-11 and posting the best record in baseball since that point.
Thanks to AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, All-Star center fielder Riley Greene, and a stout bullpen, the Tigers went on a remarkable run. They stunned the Houston Astros in the Wild Card, sweeping them two games to none, but lost to the Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS in five games.
After their surprising success in 2024, the Tigers want to maintain that momentum into next season. That’s why they are making a push to have Sasaki team up with Skubal, Casey Mize, and top prospect Jackson Jobe.
“We’re hard at work on a presentation to position this organization as appealing to Roki and his agent,” Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris told MLB.com’s Jason Beck. “It’s going to be pretty fierce competition, and we’re hard at work to make our case, and we’ll see how it goes. But yeah, consider us interested in Sasaki. He’s one of the more talented young pitchers in baseball.”
According to Beck, the Tigers have $7,555,500 in international bonus pool money — which is tied for highest in baseball with the Athletics, Cincinnati Reds, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, Seattle Mariners, and Tampa Bay Rays.
“Every team in baseball wants to talk to him. We do, too,” noted Harris.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have emerged as an early favorite to sign Sasaki, but ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan previously reported it’s not a “fait accompli” the pitcher will land in LA, hence the Tigers throwing their name in the ring.
Sasaki, nicknamed “The Monster of the Reiwa Era,” is a special talent who consistently throws in the triple digits. Over four seasons with the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball, Sasaki posted a 29-15 record in 64 starts across 394⅔ innings, with a 2.10 ERA, 510 strikeouts, and 88 walks.
Despite Sasaki’s immense gifts, there is concern about his durability. His career high in innings is just 129⅓, and a torn oblique and right arm soreness limited him to 18 starts in 2023.
Related: MLB executive suggests Japanese star Roki Sasaki might sign with surprise team this winter