New York Mets Pursuit of Next Japanese Phenom is Inevitable

It's only a matter of time until the New York Mets are linked to the next Japanese phenom.

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 New York Mets are constantly mentioned as a potential landing spot for baseball's top superstars and the next Japanese phenom will likely be no different.

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.

New York will do everything in their power to avoid striking out on another top foreign free agent after the sting pushing so hard only to lose Yamamoto and Shota Imanaga.

They could make more sense than the rival New York Yankees if Sasaki wants the chance to the main guy in an elite market as Gerrit Cole will be the Bronx ace for a while.

The Mets are a historic franchise, so it's not a surprise that they are consistently in the running for the top players overseas.