Roki Sasaki Set to Enter MLB Free Agent Market

Roki Sasaki, the star right-hander from Japan, is on the brink of entering the MLB free agent market. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Sasaki is expected to be posted by the Chiba Lotte Marines during the upcoming Winter Meetings, which start tomorrow and run through Thursday. Once posted, MLB teams will have 45 days to negotiate with Sasaki before he potentially returns to the Marines for the 2025 Nippon Professional Baseball season if no deal is reached.

Sasaki, at just 23 years old, is eager to showcase his talent in the big leagues. His willingness to leave a lucrative career in Japan indicates his strong desire to compete at the highest level. Given his status as an international free agent under 25 years old, he can only be signed using funds from an MLB team’s international bonus pool.

The timing of Sasaki’s posting is particularly noteworthy. His 45-day negotiating window will extend beyond January 15, coinciding with the opening of the 2025 international signing period. Since teams typically deplete their international budgets by December 15, it was anticipated that Sasaki would wait until after January 15 to maximize his signing potential. However, Sasaki’s priority seems to be pitching in the MLB rather than maximizing financial gain.

This early move to the big leagues creates one of the most intriguing free agent cases in recent years, reminiscent of Shohei Ohtani’s arrival in the 2017-18 offseason. Despite the relatively level financial playing field for all 30 teams, the Los Angeles Dodgers have been long considered favorites to sign Sasaki. Rumors of an unofficial agreement between Sasaki and the Dodgers have been strongly denied by his agent, Joel Wolfe.

​Sasaki’s decision will likely hinge on several factors, including team dynamics, geographic preferences, and connections to Japanese baseball. While the Dodgers present a compelling option with established Japanese stars like Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, other teams such as the Padres, Mets, Giants, and Cubs have also shown interest.