According to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register, the Los Angeles Dodgers are finally set to meet with Roki Sasaki. They’re the sixth team to meet with the hard-throwing right-handed pitcher. Other teams known to have met with Sasaki include the Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, and Texas Rangers.
While Sasaki has already taken several meetings, he’s still in the information-gathering process. A final decision is not expected for at least a few more weeks.
However, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman notes that signing Sasaki remains a “major priority” for the club. Yet, the Dodgers have faced stiff competition, with as many as 20 teams registering interest in the starting pitcher.
As of now, Sasaki’s plans include taking a second round of free agency meetings with interested teams before choosing which one to sign with. Yet, a decision will have to come before February, with his posting window closing on January 24. It should also be noted that he can’t even finalize a contract before January 15, when the international signing period starts.
Sasaki is widely regarded as one of the most sought-after free agents of the offseason, but since he’s being posted as a minor-league due to a lack of service time, he won’t force teams to break the bank. His affordable contract, in addition to Sasaki’s ace potential, is why so many teams have shown interest in signing him.
