It's Currently Unknown if Seattle Mariners Will Get Meeting with Roki Sasaki

The Japanese sensation is currently going through meetings with teams, but the Mariners haven't been identified as one of them yet.

A Seattle Mariners hat sits on top a mitt during a game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Rangers won 10-4 in 2016. / Ray Carlin-Imagn Images

According to a recent article from Adam Jude of the Seattle Times, it's unknown at this point if the Seattle Mariners will get a meeting with Japanese free agent Roki Sasaki.

Sasaki was said to be high on their priority list this offseason.

A handful of teams — the New York Mets, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers — have already reportedly met with Sasaki’s camp. It’s unknown if the Mariners have been granted a meeting with Sasaki.

In 2017, when another Japanese sensation, Shohei Ohtani, was making his move to MLB, the Mariners made public their enthusiastic pitch to sign the two-way star. This time around, the Mariners are being strategically guarded with public comments about Sasaki.

In an offseason defined, so far, by their inaction, the Mariners remain on the prowl for two new infielders. What will they do? What can they afford to do? @A_Jude explores: https://t.co/6yLXpzwY5h

— Seattle Times Sports (@SeaTimesSports) December 28, 2024

So, there's a few things to understand here with regards to all of this:

1) The Mariners don't technically need Sasaki. With Luis Castillo, George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, Bryan Woo and Bryce Miller, the M's already have five immensely talented starters. Sasaki is a luxury, not a necessity.

2) That said, if the M's can't even get a meeting with him? That points to a bad industry perception. After all, the Mariners were an 85-win team that is competitive. They also have a history of pitching development successes and have had success with Japanese player. If that team can't get a meeting, what must be wrong?

3) If the Mariners did get Sasaki, that would afford them the ability to trade Luis Castillo, something they've been hesitant to do thus far throughout the offseason. If they were to trade Castillo, they could free up money and address their offensive woes.

Sasaki is 23-years-old, throws upwards of 100 MPH and features perhaps the best splitter in the world.

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