Roki Sasaki’s Agent Provides Tell-All on Star’s Free Agency as Dodgers Remain Heavily Interested
Roki Sasaki’s agent, Joel Wolfe, fielded questions from reporters on Day 2 of the Winter Meetings Tuesday in Dallas, Texas.
Wolfe answered everything he could regarding his superstar amateur free agent, who was officially posted by his Japanese team, the Chiba Lotte Marines, on Tuesday morning.
Among the myriad topics discussed were Sasaki’s preferences, interests, and when he’ll sign. While Wolfe mentioned Sasaki is technically eligible to sign as soon as Tuesday, he doesn’t expect that to be the case. By waiting until at least Jan. 15 to sign, Sasaki would be able to secure a larger sum of money from teams’ fully-stocked international bonus pools.
On Jan. 15, though, when the bonus pools open for the 2025 period, the Dodgers will be among the teams with the least amount of money. Is that going to be a factor for Sasaki?
“My advice to him is don’t make a decision based on that,” Wolfe said, adding that the minuscule differences between the highest and lowest pools aren’t worth the potential long-term impact of picking a franchise.
Roki Sasaki’s Preferences in Next MLB Team
So, with that being said, what is Sasaki looking for in terms of his next team, and what has he been paying attention to in regards to MLB teams?
“He has paid attention to how teams have done as far as overall success, both this year and years past,” Wolfe said. “He’s paid attention to what his WBC teammates have done. … Just watching what other Japanese players in the major leagues are doing and how they are doing.”
The Dodgers, of course, have arguably the two greatest Japanese players in MLB right now with Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. They’re also the two highest-paid Japanese players of all time, with Ohtani owning the second-richest contract in MLB history following Juan Soto’s deal, and Yamamoto owning the richest contract for a pitcher in MLB history.
Other teams with prominent Japanese players include the San Diego Padres (Yu Darvish) and New York Mets (Kodai Senga). Wolfe is the agent for Yamamoto, Darvish, and Senga.
When Will Roki Sasaki Meet With MLB Teams?
As for the process itself, Wolfe said Sasaki is en route to the United States, and the two will meet this week. Next week, Wolfe and Sasaki will begin meeting with MLB teams.
While all 30 teams should be interested in adding one of the most sought-after pitchers ever for what will cost just pennies on the dollar in comparison to the other free agents, Wolfe didn’t specify how many teams they will be meeting with. He did, however, estimate that more than half the league came over to Japan to scout Sasaki in person. He also added that some teams have already started to submit presentations to them.
Why is Roki Sasaki Giving Up Money to Come to MLB Early?
Finally, one of the biggest questions that has surrounded Sasaki’s free agency is why the 23-year-old is forfeiting a potential monumental contract to sign two years early.
“There are no absolutes in baseball, and in Roki’s eyes, there are no absolutes in life,” Wolfe said. “It’s always been his dream to come to the major leagues since he was in high school.”
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