Could the A's enter the Roki Sasaki sweepstakes?

Roki Sasaki to the A's may not be as far-fetched as some believe.

Mar 20, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Japan starting pitcher Roki Sasaki (14) delivers a pitch during the first inning against Mexico at LoanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Roki Sasaki may be one of the most coveted players available this winter. The 23-year-old right-handed pitcher from Japan has electric stuff and seems to be in line to become the next great Japanese player who made the move to MLB.

Out of the gate, the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, New York Mets, San Diego Padres, and San Francisco Giants all were deemed the teams that were "most likely" to land the young star. However, things may have taken a turn at the Winter Meetings this past week.

Joel Wolfe, Sasaki's agent, said this to reporters at the Winter Meetings when asked about the odds Sasaki signs with a small or mid-market team, "Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I think there’s an argument to be made that a small-or mid-market team might be more beneficial for him, as a soft landing, coming from Japan and what he’s been through and not having an enjoyable experience with the media.

"I’m not saying it will be, but I don’t know how he’s going to do it. It might be beneficial for him to be in a smaller market, but I really don’t know how he looks at it yet because I haven’t had a chance to discuss it with him [at great length].”

This certainly leaves the door open for small or mid-market teams who may have once thought they did not have a chance, including the Athletics. The A's currently have the most international pool money, which is what teams will have to use to sign Sasaki, at $7,555,500. While money is not everything, it does not hurt the A's having the most.

The A's could be an attractive spot for Sasaki for many reasons. One, the A's are a small market team and could be that "soft landing" Wolfe was referring to. The A's media is not even close to the level of aggressiveness and intimidation of New York or Los Angeles.

Two, the A's seem to be on the rise, with their moves to acquire Luis Severino and Jefferey Springs along with their stars Brent Rooker and Lawrence Butler, not to mention other young players on the rise, Sasaki may want to be a part of that.

The AL West was not the juggernaut they usually are in 2024. With the Houston Astros window closing, the Texas Rangers down year post World Series win, and the Seattle Mariners lack of offense, the AL West could be up for grabs in 2025.

The final reason is that the A's could be making strides in their move to Las Vegas. With Las Vegas' hopes of becoming a sports mecca similar to New York and Los Angeles, Sasaki may decide he wants to be a part of that. He could have the "soft landing" his agent was referring to with the A's for the next couple of seasons in Sacramento, then play in Las Vegas after adjusting to MLB.

Adding Sasaki to the A's would propel them to AL West contention. GM David Forst has hinted at the A's not being done and is still looking to upgrade the lineup and the rotation. There may not be a bigger rotation upgrade left for the A's than Roki Sasaki, and if the A's want to show the rest of the league that the way they operate will change when they move to Las Vegas, no better way to do that then signing baseball's next phenom.