MLB free agency rumors continue to fuel fans with plenty of news during the offseason. The latest batch of MLB news offers an exciting update for Toronto Blue Jays fans hoping to see their team make strides toward becoming a playoff contender again.
This time, it involves the Blue Jays meeting with baseball’s top free agent, and there’s optimism toward a contract getting signed.
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Toronto Blue Jays met with Roki Sasaki last week
Arguably the best player remaining in baseball’s free agent class is Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki. The 23-year-old is a two-time NPB All-Star with a fastball that tops 100 mph, and now he’s looking to take his talents stateside.
Teams can finally officially start negotiating a contract with Sasaki starting on January 15th. They’ll have until the 23rd to negotiate with him. If no deal is reached, he’ll have to head back to his old team in Japan. But everyone, including insider Jon Morosi, anticipates Sasaki to sign a contract with an MLB team in the next 2-10 days.
According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, the Toronto Blue Jays are the latest team to meet with Sasaki, with the sit-down reportedly taking place last week. This presumably means the Blue Jays are one of a “half-dozen” teams still engaged with Sasaki’s camp as negotiations heat up later this week.
Other teams believed to be in pursuit include the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, and Texas Rangers.
Related: Roki Sasaki free agency decision timeline revealed by top MLB insider
