BREAKTHROUGH AT LAST: SD Padres Have Outclass LA Dodgers In Another Trade War For Top Free Agent Pitcher

In recent seasons, free-agent talents have flocked to the Los Angeles Dodgers. In addition to the fact that Los Angeles is a large, enticing city for players and their families, the Dodgers have assembled some of the best lineups and pitching staffs in MLB history, and the winning prospects are typically a draw.

 

Even while their success hasn’t quite translated into the postseason as they would have hoped, the San Diego Padres, one of the Dodgers’ rivals in the National League West, have also assembled some strong rosters.

Roki Sasaki is being pursued by the Dodgers and Padres.
Right-hander Roki Sasaki is still the top target for both National League heavyweights. After the new international free agent period begins on January 15, the Japanese pitcher, who has a 2.10 ERA in the NPB, will be able to sign his first Major League contract. He was posted this month.Jon Heyman, an MLB insider, talked about Sasaki’s market. He insisted that the Dodgers and Padres are still in the lead for the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) title, while naming a number of potential suitors as threats to sign Sasaki:

 

The Dodgers and Padres are the favourites, but there are other teams in the running.
According to Heyman, the Texas Rangers, the Chicago Cubs, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets are still in the running. Tradition, a strong player development program, prior success with Japanese players, or recent World Series triumph are just a few of the things that each of those teams can offer Sasaki.

Even though players and agents may not admit it in public, the Dodgers and Padres (in this case, Los Angeles and San Diego) are both a short trip from Japan, which is always a factor.

 

Sasaki has the opportunity to participate in competitive pitching development programs and has interesting sponsorship chances in both locations. The Dodgers would offer him a larger market, but the Padres would give him the opportunity to play with Yu Darvish, one of his closest friends. Since this race is probably far from over, there is still another story that needs to be resolved. However, we are all aware of the favourite.