Potential Baltimore Orioles Target Roki Sasaki To Be Posted Next Week

Roki Sasaki, who could be a perfect fit for the Baltimore Orioles, is expected to be posted next week by his Japanese team.

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

If the Baltimore Orioles can't re-sign Corbin Burnes and aren't willing to give a big deal to any of the other top starters on the market, Roki Sasaki would be the ideal target.

Sasaki, 23, has a real chance to come to Major League Baseball and instantly be an ace.

There were questions about when Sasaki would be posted, but according to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the time is almost here. Passan reported that Sasaki is "expected" to be posted during MLB's Winter Meetings next week.

"Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki is expected to be officially posted at Major League Baseball's winter meetings next week, sources told ESPN on Saturday, opening a 45-day window in which teams will try to convince him to choose them once the international amateur signing period opens Jan. 15."

Baltimore will have to do its best sales pitch, as every team in the league will have a chance to sign him. Many around the industry believe Sasaki will sign with a team on the West Coast, but until he makes a decision, the Orioles will have a chance.

If it weren't for international scouting rules, the right-hander would be looking at a $250-plus million deal.

Sasaki is subject to international bonus pool rules because of his age (23) and the fact that he has not played six professional baseball seasons. For that reason people see his signing as more like Shohei Ohtani's original signing with the Los Angeles Angels, which was for a $2.1 million bonus.

Sasaki is also considered Major League ready right now. He throws a triple-digit fastball and, like Yamamoto, has an array of pitches.

Last year he went 10-5 with a 2.35 ERA, 129 strikeouts and 32 walks in 111 innings. For his four-year career he is 29-15 with a 2.10 ERA and 505 strikeouts against 88 walks in 394.2 innings.

The top bonus pools are around $7.5 million, with the bottom around $5.1 million. Teams are not able to give Sasaki the full bonus due to slot rules.

Per MLB, every team’s international bonus money has slots. For example, a team with a $3 million pool might have had a $1.5 million slot, an $800,000 slot, a $400,000 slot and a $300,000 slot.