Japanese ace Roki Sasaki to become available to MLB teams this offseason
Japanese ace Roki Sasaki will be available to Major League Baseball teams this offseason
By AP News
Published - Nov 09, 2024, 12:11 PM ET
Last Updated - Dec 16, 2024, 05:32 PM EST
CHIBA, Japan (AP) — Japanese ace Roki Sasaki will be available to Major League Baseball teams this offseason.
The Chiba Lotte Marines announced Saturday they have chosen to start the process of moving the pitcher to a big league club in North America via the posting system.
Sasaki, who turned 23 this month, is expected to become one of the most sought-after pitchers on the open market. The right-hander went 10-5 with a 2.35 ERA in 18 games this year, striking out 129 hitters in 111 innings.
Because he is younger than 25, Sasaki will be classified as an international amateur free agent subject to bonus pool limits, according to MLB rules. That means his first contract would be a minor league deal no larger than seven figures.
