MLB Executive Thinks Roki Sasaki Could Sign With Padres Over Dodgers: Report

Could the Padres sign this elite right-hander from Japan in the offseason?

Mar 20, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Japan starting pitcher Roki Sasaki (14) delivers a pitch during / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

The 2023-24 offseason for the San Diego Padres went slowly, to say the least. After trading star outfielder Juan Soto to the New York Yankees in December, the team invested sparingly in free-agent talent.

In the end, the Padres lost more than they gained. Trades for Dylan Cease in March and Luis Arraez on Saturday bolstered obvious weak spots on the roster — and made up for the money the Padres didn't spend over the winter.

Looking ahead, the 2024-25 offseason could be a game-changer for the Padres. After re-setting their payroll beneath the luxury tax threshold, they could look to make some significant moves. The Padres might even be in the running for the biggest free agent, Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki. 

Sasaki could potentially be a free agent in the winter, the competition for his talent could be fierce. Some the Los Angeles Dodgers are the favorites, having already signed countrymen Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to long-term contracts. However, one MLB executive has a different view, suggesting the Padres could be the surprise winners in this race. 

USA Today's Bob Nightengale shared in his latest column. 

"While executives still believe that Japanese pitching sensation Roki Sasaki is planning to sign with the Dodgers after the season, one executive who knows him says that Sasaki's soft-spoken, unassuming personality could lead him to a smaller market like Seattle, San Francisco or San Diego."

In a recent article by the New York Post, baseball columnist Jon Heyman believes that the Dodgers are the favorites for landing Sasaki. Nonetheless, it's all hearsay as the right-hander is still under contract to his team in Japan, the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball. 

Every team in the league will be vying for the 22-year-old's talents. At such a young age, the Rikuzentakata native has already pitched a perfect game in 2022, has been named a two-time NPB All-Star, and recorded an NPB-record 19 strikeouts in a single game. 

Thus far in 2024, Sasaki has a 3-1 record with a 1.64 ERA, 37 strikeouts, and a 0.93 WHIP in 33 innings and five games. This is his fourth year with the Marines, and it could be his last before he makes the jump to the major leagues. 

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