Red Sox Could Land 'Most Coveted' Superstar Pitcher On Minor-League Deal, Per Insider

Here's one way to make a splash in free agency...

May 12, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; A bag of baseballs sits on the diamond before a game against between the Boston Red Sox and the Washington Nationals at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The Major League Baseball free-agent market was always going to be hotly competitive this winter, and the Boston Red Sox hope to be in the thick of it.

After yet another season of mediocrity, the Red Sox should be feeling the pressure to make it back to the postseason. They have some obvious needs, namely starting pitching and a right-handed power bat. Whether they address those needs will play an outsized role in the success of their 2025 season.

Unfortunately, for the Red Sox, other teams need those same things, and with limited star talent in supply this winter, bidding wars are already likely to be steep. But if a certain international pitcher decides to come to the majors this free-agent cycle, the Red Sox could catch a break in the financial department.

Roki Sasaki, the young Japanese flamethrower for the Chiba Lotte Marines, is currently mulling whether to come to MLB for the 2025 season. Insider Jim Bowden of The Athletic recently named the Red Sox as one of the top fits for Sasaki, noting Boston had done extensive scouting on the righty hurler.

"If (Sasaki) is coming, he will be the most coveted international free agent as the Dodgers, Mets, Yankees, Red Sox and Diamondbacks all committed significant resources to scout him this month, including sending top executives to see him pitch," Bowden said.

"Since Sasaki is under 25 years old, he would be subject to international bonus pool restrictions; if he’s posted after this season, he’d only be allowed to sign a minor-league contract, which is what Ohtani did with the Angels in 2017."

It almost sounds too good to be true. A 23-year-old rookie hurler who throws over 100 miles per hour? A pitcher who could completely change the outlook of the Red Sox rotation while barely counting against the budget? And unfortunately, it really might be too good to be true.

The sentiment has grown throughout the year that Sasaki is more likely than previously thought to stay in Japan for another season. His back-to-back injury-shortened seasons of 2023 and 2024 could also increase the likelihood that he waits until he is 25 to sign a bigger deal with an MLB team.

If Sasaki does decide to come, the Red Sox should pounce--as should almost every team hoping to win in the relatively near future. But for now, they'll just have to wait and see what the young hurler decides.

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