Los Los Angeles Dodgers They did not offer a qualifying offer to Walker Buehler, one of their top pitchers in recent years. Had this offer been made, the Dodgers would have had a better chance of keeping him for at least one more season. However, shortly after this decision, it was announced that Roki Sasaki, the best Japanese pitcher currently, rejected a contract from the Chiba Lotte Marines to continue his career in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and seek a contract in the MLB.
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Sasaki with the intention of playing in MLB
According to multiple sources, Sasaki intends to sign with a team in the MLB this winter, which will generate intense competition for his signature, similar to what he experienced Shohei Ohtani when he signed with the Angels for US$2.315 million in 2017.
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Given the Dodgers’ market power and winning tradition, they are considered one of the teams with the best chance of signing Sasaki if the post system is activated. In case they manage to sign him, Sasaki He would join a rotation that would include his compatriots Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamotoforming one of the most feared in the Major Leagues.
This has led many to wonder if the Dodgers’ decision not to offer the qualifying offer to Buehler has anything to do with Sasaki’s possible arrival. The theory gains strength, since Kiley McDaniel of ESPN has indicated that the Dodgers are emerging as the main favorites to sign the young Japanese pitcher.
A very talented player
According to various sources, Sasaki, who has been compared to Shohei Ohtani for his impressive talent, intends to try his luck in Major League Baseball this winter. If his signature goes through, a bidding war would break out between several clubs, recalling the days when Ohtani signed with the Angels for US$2.315 million in the winter of 2017-18
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. The arrival of Sasaki to the MLB Not only would it be a huge media coup, but also a significant change in the economic landscape, with teams bidding to sign one of the most promising and dominant pitchers that baseball has seen in years.
The Dodgers’ interest in Sasaki has grown considerably, and several experts already point to them as the favorites to sign him, especially if he is placed in the post system.
If the DodgerIf they manage to convince the young Japanese pitcher, Sasaki could join a luxury rotation that already includes his compatriot Shohei Ohtani and the also Japanese Yoshinobu Yamamoto, creating an unprecedented rotation of aces, with three of the best pitchers in Japan at the service of the current champions.