Chicago Cubs 'Will Do Their Best Sales Job' for Top Value Free Agent Available

The Chicago Cubs will attempt to land the Japanese right-hander this winter in MLB free agency.

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

When it was announced that Roki Sasaki would be posted and become a free agent this winter, Major League Baseball teams, including the Chicago Cubs, must've been excited.

While the expectation is for him to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers, it might not be as easy as some have predicted.

Sasaki, perhaps the best young pitcher in the world, has plenty of value as a starter.

Factor in his contract not being able to reach nearly $10 million due to international rules, and it's easy to see why the Cubs would want him.

They have done a decent job in the international scouting department over the past decade. In fact, they're among the best in baseball when it comes to that.

Sasaki will be their biggest test yet, especially with every team in Major League Baseball expected to be interested in his services.

Chicago has made it known that they want him, and given they can't be outbid because of international rules, no one has the upper hand.

All the Cubs can do is give them their best sales pitch and hope for the best.

According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, they're expected to do just that.

"Even then, those teams have commitments to international players already, so using their full $7,555,500 pools and trading for the maximum amount of extra space (60% of their pool, or $4,533,300) is a long shot. But it is possible that someone will -- that's how much teams value Sasaki. His surplus value is exponentially higher than that of any other free agent in this class because the ceiling on the outlay to get him is capped. All the expected teams will do their best sales jobs: the Dodgers, Blue Jays, Cubs, Mets, Yankees, San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers and even the Rays. Sasaki has not said what he values in a team, which leaves them guessing," the insider wrote.

Only time will tell what the front office has up their sleeves.

They could offer him a No. 1 spot in the rotation, a payroll and farm system that will continue to improve the team in the future, and a beautiful city to live in.

The same could be said for some of the other big market cities, but Chicago is a great place where players want to live.

The Cubs also have a history of landing Japanese stars when they come to the United States, so that could also play a major factor in Sasaki's recruitment as he decides which MLB team he will sign with.