Royals Unlikely To Land Star Japanese Pitcher In Free Agency
The Kansas City Royals have been busy this offseason after losing the American League Division Series to the New York Yankees. They re-signed right-hander Michael Wacha to a three-year, $51 million contract and also traded for Jonathan India and Joey Wiemer.
They likely aren't done yet, either. They could still look for ways to upgrade the offense, and they could even look for some help on the mound.
According to Anne Rogers of MLB.com, the Royals have checked in on Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki. However, Rogers notes that despite them having checked in on the star pitcher, they are unlikely to sign him.
"The usual big-market teams are the early favorites to land Sasaki, but an interesting quote from Wolfe made rounds Tuesday: “There’s an argument to be made that a small- or mid-market team might be more beneficial for him as a soft landing for him coming from Japan," Rogers wrote.
"The Royals have done their due diligence on Sasaki and have had conversations about what a deal would look like. Wolfe acknowledged that it’s likely Sasaki prefers to sign once the 2025 international signing period opens."
Sasaki went 10-5 in the NPB this season and posted a 2.35 ERA while striking out 129 batters over 111 innings pitched. If the Royals were to sign him, they could move Alec Marsh or Daniel Lynch to the bullpen.
But it appears unlikely that they will land him in free agency, and will instead focus primarily on the offense for 2025.
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Curt Bishop is a freelance sports writer who graduated from Maryville University of St. Louis with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the field of Communication and currently writes as a contributor for various platforms covering Major League Baseball. Curt’s work includes covering trade and free agency predictions, as well as rumors and news.