Report: Giants expected to be ‘important players’ for Sasaki originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Giants made a splash with their signing on Saturday, but could another monumental move be on the horizon for San Francisco?
Coveted free agent pitcher Roki Sasakia superstar of the Japanese professional baseball league Nippon, is expected to be displayed at the upcoming MLB winter meetings, ESPN’s Jeff Pasan reported Saturdayciting sources.
As teams line up to try to secure the flamethrowing right-hander’s services, the Giants are among a handful of clubs expected to be “important players” for Sasaki, Passan reported Saturday.
However, San Francisco isn’t the only NL West ballclub pursuing the superstar pitcher, as Passan listed the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres as serious suitors for Sasaki.
Other “important players” for Sasaki mentioned by Passan are the New York Mets, Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers.
Teams vying for Sasaki will have 45 days to convince the star pitcher to join their team once he is assigned to his current team, the Chiba Lotte Marines. Because Sasaki is only 23, he is only eligible as an international amateur, which comes with a financial cap, rather than breaking the opening he would likely have in free agency normal.
Sasaki has just come out of a sensational 2024 season for the Marines, going 10-5 with a 2.35 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 111 innings pitched.
After reinforcing the programming with the reported addition of AdamesCould the Giants turn to their pitching staff and fill out a rotation led by perennial Cy Young Award candidate Logan Webb?
Will Sasaki want to join his Samurai Japan teammates Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the Dodgers? Or will he relish the opportunity to compete with them and welcome the friendly confines of Oracle Park as his new home?
Time will tell…
