Could Next Japanese Phenom Join Shota Imanaga on the Chicago Cubs?

The Chicago Cubs could end up as the first MLB club for an incoming Japanese mega star.

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-USA TODAY Sports / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Cubs signed NPB All-Star Shota Imanaga this past offseason and Seiya Suzuki came over in 2022, could they soon find themselves as the home for yet another Japanese phenom?

Roki Sasaki's journey to the MLB from Japan is more of a 'when' than a 'if' and almost every team is going to join in on the sweepstakes.

The Washington Post’s Chelsea Janes made it clear that Sasaki will be coming to MLB sooner-rather-than-later. Here’s what Janes said as to the pitchers’ excitement about coming to America:

“Because he is so eager and because MLB teams are so eager for what he can offer, Sasaki seems almost certain to eschew tradition by pushing to leave for the United States sooner than almost any other Nippon Professional Baseball player has.”

MLB teams have become aware that he is coming over and they are beginning to prepare for his arrival. Still, it’s unclear exactly when he will come.

Currently, the 6-foot-4 sensation is 22 years old. If he does decide to leave before he’s 25, he will be subject to the international signing pool for each team which means limited money. 

His arrival will be one of the biggest stories in recent baseball history, larger than Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s this past season. 

In four years and 59 games of NPB play, Sasaki has an absurd 1.94 ERA and 0.856 WHIP. He has a 103 MPH fastball and great breaking balls that make him very hard to hit. He’s the most anticipated foreign prospect since Shohei Ohtani and for good reason.

For a player that is so excited about coming over and joining the culture of MLB, Chicago would make a lot of sense as a landing spot. There is a lot of history in Wrigley field.

They were heavily in on the Yamamoto lottery this past offseason, expect to hear their name a lot when Sasaki makes his decision.