San Francisco Giants Target Roki Sasaki 'Open Minded' About Free Agency

One of the San Francisco Giants' top targets doesn't have a destination set in stone, according to his agent.

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

The San Francisco Giants have some work to do at the Winter Meetings. At the top of their priority list should be Roki Sasaki, a 23-year-old starter many view as the best pitcher on the market.

While others available have found more success in Major League Baseball, given Sasaki has never thrown a pitch for an MLB team, he can only sign for up to $7.5 million due to international signing rules, and that total could vary based on the amount of each team's international signing bonus pool.

Many around the industry believe Sasaki has already made up his mind and will sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, according to his agent, Joel Wolfe, he doesn't have a predetermined home and will be ready to speak with teams next week.

"Joel Wolfe, Roki Sasaki’s agent, spoke with reporters and said Sasaki will start meeting teams next week. He said Sasaki is open minded and allegations that he has a predetermined home are false. Giants have long believed he’ll be a Dodger, but they have scouted him quite a bit," Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area wrote.

If Sasaki is willing to play for the Giants and his agent is being truthful, this could be a big moment for the franchise. It's important, however, to remember that Wolfe would never come out and say he'll sign with the Dodgers. Not only would that cause an issue around the league, but it'd hurt his value.

Not that Sasaki has to worry much about money, given the international rules, but it wouldn't be a smart thing to do from an agent's perspective.

With the right-hander set to speak with teams next week, it's time for San Francisco to give him its best sales pitch.

Sasaki is unlikely to sign until after the international bonus pools turn over on Jan. 15. Because he posted this week, he could actually sign under this international bonus cycle. But most teams have committed their 2024 pools already and the cut-off to use them is Dec. 15.

He is likely to wait to take advantage of a full field of MLB teams with flush international bonus pools, ranking from $5-7 million, which they can then use to lure the free agent to their team. In additionl to the pool bonus, he would be eligible for a standard rookie contract, be under that team's control for six years and his Japanese team, the Chibe Lotte Marines, would receive a posting fee.