Japanese Pitcher Roki Sasaki Posted For Free Agency and Texas Rangers Prepared To Make Sales Pitch

The Texas Rangers, like the rest of Major League Baseball, is likely to take a shot at trying to sign Japanese superstar Roki Sasaki.

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

Roki Sasaki, the Japanese superstar pitcher who is expected to be in high demand this offseason, was posted by the Chibe Lotte Marines on Monday, per multiple outlets.

Major League teams, including the Texas Rangers, can begin contacting him on Tuesday. He has a window to sign with a club no later than window to sign that lasts until 5 p.m. eastern on Jan. 23.

But, Sasaki likely won’t sign any deal until at least Jan. 15, when the international free-agent signing window opens.

His free agency will go similarly to that of Shohei Ohtani’s when the now National League MVP came over from Japan. Ohtani signed for a $2.1 million bonus.

"We've done a lot of preparation behind the scenes, internally, in the event this were to happen," Young said Monday at the MLB Winter Meetings in Dallas. "So I think we feel good about what we've done, and our hope is that we get an opportunity to meet with the agent and Sasaki and go from there."

Sakaki is only 23. Due to his age (under 25) and his limited professional experience (less than six years), he’s subject to international signing bonus rules.

That teams can’t drive up the price of the contract, as they did with another Japanese pitcher, Yoshinobu Yamamoto last offseason. He signed a 12-year, $325 million deal with the Dodgers.

The Rangers, like any other team, would only be able to use their international bonus pool money to sign him. The bonus pools this year range from $5.1 million to $7.5 million. Teams can trade for up to 60% of their pool allotments, but only in $250,000 increments. Plus, bonuses are slotted, so no team can throw their entire bonus pool at Sasaki.

But, whoever wins the derby will control his rights for six years and get a pitcher widely considered one of the best in the world.

Sasaki is considered Major League-ready. 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.

Whoever lands him, he is automatically a candidate for their Opening Day roster.

The Rangers have a history of landing Japanese pitchers, including winning the posting for Yu Darvish when he came over to the Majors.

But, in a competition where money isn’t the only component, the Rangers will have to sell Sasaki on a franchise that is coming off a losing season, one year off winning its first World Series.