The battle for signature appears set to become a showdown between two of baseball’s fiercest rivals: the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres.
At just 23 years old, Sasaki is a pitching sensation, boasting a triple-digit fastball and a devastating array of offspeed pitches, particularly his splitter, which generates an elite swing-and-miss rate at around 90 mph.
While every MLB team will be vying for his talent, Bleacher Report’s Zachary Rymer has predicted that Sasaki might join the San Diego Padres, possibly with a $6.3 million signing bonus.
“Since Sasaki is under 25, he’s considered an amateur free agent and can only receive offers from teams’ international bonus pools, which range between $4.1 million and $7.6 million,” Rymer explained. “Every MLB team should pursue him, but he’s likely to choose one that offers both success and endorsement opportunities. According to MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo, the consensus is that he’ll sign with either the Dodgers or Padres.”
Both teams have ties to Japan that could sway Sasaki’s decision. The Padres feature Yu Darvish, a former teammate of Sasaki, while the Dodgers boast Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
In San Diego, Sasaki would have a chance to shine as the city’s premier Japanese star, whereas in Los Angeles, he might share the international spotlight with Ohtani and Yamamoto. The Padres could offer him a more singular role as the face of Japanese baseball in their market.
Sasaki’s free agency remains wide open, and with no team holding a financial edge, predicting his ultimate landing spot is challenging.
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