Potential Chicago Cubs International Free Agent Target Can Only Sign for $7 Million

The Chicago Cubs have already shown their connections in Japan and have to do it again.

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-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Cubs have had some success in the past in landing international stars. Shota Imanaga is the most recent one, and the left-handed pitcher out of Japan has been well worth the investment.

He currently owns an impressive 3.08 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and has struck out 140 hitters in 140 1/3 innings pitched. 

However, there's another pitcher who could potentially be coming over from Japan in the offseason, who evaluators believe could be one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball right away. 

That's Roki Sasaki.

Sasaki, still only 22 years old, will be an interesting name to follow over the next few months. Due to international rules, he might not get posted, but there's also a chance he does.

If he does end up getting posted, the Cubs need to be all over him. Perhaps Imanaga could recruit him and help Chicago land another Japanese star.

For more reasons than not, the right-hander would be the perfect addition. However, the biggest factor is that he can only earn up to $7 million due to the international bonus pool. Kiley McDaniel of ESPN broke it down.

"If Sasaki comes over this winter, he would be limited to the international bonus pools, like Shohei Ohtani was when he signed for $2.3 million before the 2018 season. 

"That means the most Sasaki could get is around a $7 million bonus (and no guaranteed big league money). Since money likely wouldn't be the biggest factor in his choice of team, he might have to settle for as little as a few million, depending on which club he picks and how many deals they've already struck."

So, not only would the Cubs be getting an arm who could come in and be their ace the first year he's on the team, but they'd also be able to spend money on other free agents because of how cheap he'd be.

Over in Japan, he's been nearly unhittable throughout his entire professional career. He started pitching professionally at 19 in 2021, getting better each step of the way. He owns a 2.45 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and has struck out 91 hitters in 77 innings pitched in 2024.

They'll eventually have to pay him, but if he comes to Chicago and ends up pitching the way he's expected to, the Cubs have no reason not to give him the amount of money he's looking for.

Also, it'll be a few years before they have to deal with that, so it wouldn't be a pressing issue.