Juan Soto (26) is one of the hitters, and Sasaki (23) is one of the pitchers who is enthusiastic about the Stove League in the Major League Baseball (MLB). The prevailing view is that he will head to the Los Angeles Dodgers even though he has not applied for posting yet.
However, opposing opinions are also coming from various places. Dodger Blue, a media outlet that delivers news on the Dodgers, published an article on the 18th (Korea time) that called “complex factors” that could affect the recruitment of Sasaki.
The Dodgers said they are busier than ever in the offseason because several of the main players of the World Series have been released as free agents and have the opportunity to recruit Sasaki, adding that there are proven starting resources such as Corbin Burns, Blake Snell and Max Fried, but Sasaki is the most attractive option for all teams, including the Dodgers.
The problem is that seeing three Japanese starters in the Dodgers may not be as easy as it is known. The biggest problem is that Sasaki may not want it.
Citing ESPN reporter Keeley McDaniel’s remarks, the media reported that there are two obstacles to overcome. First, as some scouts say, Sasaki may prefer a smaller market. “Sasaki has been out of bounds this year, and some think he is injured,” the media said. “If there are concerns about the big market, it will be a considerable obstacle for the Dodgers to recruit him. If so, the New York team will disappear, and the San Diego Padres will be affected just as much as they are a smaller team.”
One of the reasons why the Dodgers are considered the most likely destinations for Sasaki is that they have strong Japanese colleagues such as Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani. The opinion is that the presence of those who collaborated on Japan’s victory in the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) can help Sasaki adapt quickly.
Sasaki has played 394 ⅔ innings in the Nippon Professional Baseball (토토사이트) for four seasons with a 2.10 ERA, 0.89 WHIP) and 505 strikeouts, but injuries are a constant risk to Sasaki, who is a “glass body.” Therefore, the Dodgers is said to be able to operate the six-starter system if Sasaki is recruited, and it is also an option to ease the burden.
However, according to the media, it is interpreted that Sasaki may want a team that needs him more. It is true that if Sasaki does not perform perfectly in his first year after his debut, he will be more likely to be overshadowed by his Japanese teammates Ohtani and Yamamoto.
Another obstacle to the Dodgers’ recruitment of Sasaki is the timing of posting. This is directly linked to the difference in the amount of money Sasaki and Chiba Lotte can earn.
“One of the advantages of the Dodgers in the Sasaki recruitment competition is that it currently has the largest amount of international bonus pool money among all teams at about $2.5 million (about 3.5 billion),” the media said.
However, chances are high that Sasaki’s posting will be delayed further. This is because the bonuses for international contracts will be reset on January 15 next year, and in this case, Sasaki and Chiba Lotte will be able to receive as much money as possible. “Some say that Chiba Lotte will not register Sasaki until the international contract period resumes in January 2025, and if that happens, the Dodgers will fall back to the bottom in terms of bonus full money,” the media said.
However, Sasaki’s risk of signing a minor league contract by applying for posting this year, not next year when he can sign a big contract, is an expression of his will that the money in front of him does not matter right now, so there may be a small chance that he will move to decide his destination as soon as possible rather than waiting until this period.
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