Former MLB general manager Jim Bowden believes the San Diego Padres are one of four teams more likely to sign pitcher Roki Sasaki than the Los Angeles Dodgers. Many people believe the Dodgers are the most likely to sign Sasaki.
Additionally, two USA Today writers feel that former Padres pitcher Blake Snell may return to San Diego in free agency. Snell pitched with the Padres from 2021 to 2023 before moving for the San Francisco Giants last offseason.The race to sign Roki Sasaki is heating up, and as with any top-tier free agent, there is a lot of conjecture about where he would sign once posted.
However, the 23-year-old right-hander is not like other high-profile free agents.
The majority of the narrative around Sasaki has linked him to the Los Angeles Dodgers, but Jim Bowden of The Athletic believes it may not be finalized.
Although the Dodgers are interested in Sasaki, and some consider them the favourites to sign him, not everyone agrees. Based on Bowden’s interactions with league sources, including front-office decision-makers who are bullish about their own chances, it appears unlikely that Sasaki will sign with the Dodgers.
“Based on what I’m hearing, I think the Padres, Rays, Mets and Braves are all more likely to sign Sasaki than the Dodgers — and several other teams will be in the mix,” Bowden tweeted.
According to Bowden, his selection will be based on endorsements.
Given this, the Dodgers may not be an ideal fit for Sasaki. In Los Angeles, he would be overshadowed by Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, which could limit his endorsement opportunities.
Bowden adds, “Yamamoto has experienced this to some extent, as being on the same team as Ohtani has resulted in Kodai Senga of the New York Mets receiving more endorsement deals than Yamamoto, according to a league source.” It is only natural that Sasaki will consider this element when making his decision.”
Another element is the media.
With the Dodgers, Sasaki would encounter a strong Japanese media presence, with 25 to 35 reporters monitoring the team on a regular basis. While he will draw a lot of attention regardless of where he signs, that amount of focus may not be ideal for a young pitcher in development.
According to Bowden, Sasaki will need to be carefully handled regardless of where he joins, with a likely objective of 120-130 innings in 2025.
It’ll be interesting to see which team he eventually selects. However, the Dodgers do not appear to be the most likely candidates, which is good news for the Padres. According to reports, the Padres, Rays, Mets, and Braves appear to be the most likely candidates to sign Sasaki, though several other teams are also interested.
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