MLB’s greatest free agent might not be Juan Soto after all. While the superstar slugger would add some juice to any lineup including the Los Angeles Dodgers, there’s a case to be made that there’s a much better bargain available this offseason.
The name is Roki Sasaki, a 23-year-old Japanese pitching sensation that won’t sign a contract worth several hundred million like Yoshinobu Yamamoto did a year ago. Since he’s set to be posted as a minor league international free agent, Sasaki’s contract won’t even top $7.5 million. This means all 30 teams should be contenders to sign him, but there’s only one clear frontrunner.
Los Angeles Dodgers emerge as favorites to sign Roki Sasaki
Even though he’s never pitched stateside, Roki Sasaki is being hyped as the next superstar pitcher to go from the NPB to MLB. Sasaki has a fastball that reaches triple digits, and that’s not even his best pitch. He also has what’s been described by Mets president David Stearns as a “nasty splitter.”
Projected to become an ace starting pitcher, Sasaki won’t even become a free agent for another six seasons, giving whichever team that signs him full control until 2030. He’s the biggest bargain since a 23-year-old Shohei Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Angels for $2.315 million in 2017.
Once Ohtani finally hit the open market, the Dodgers pounced on the MVP talent, and now it sounds like many MLB experts expect Los Angeles to do the same with Sasaki.
According to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, the Dodgers are the clear favorites to sign Sasaki.
Another MLB insider, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale is hearing the same thing about the Dodgers’ chances to sign Sasaki before the 2025 season begins.
“The Dodgers, who have become Japan’s most beloved team and have the current largest international bonus pool of $2.5 million, certainly are the heavy favorites. There were unfounded rumors that a deal was worked out with the Dodgers and Sasaki nearly a year ago, which has been vehemently denied by the Dodgers and Sasaki’s agent, Joel Wolfe.”
Until Sasaki officially gets posted, it’s hard to say which team has the best chances to sign him. Yet, hearing the Dodgers constantly being linked to one of the best free agents available should get fans excited, even after a World Series win.
Dodgers fan-favorite predicted to ditch L.A. for $60 million deal with Braves
How do you decide which players to bring back from a successful World Series run?
The Los Angeles Dodgers are the reigning champs, and by the end of the Fall Classic, they looked borderline unbeatable. With several starting pitchers returning to health by Opening Day, the Dodgers could run back the same roster and feel confident about their chances to repeat.
However, no two baseball seasons are alike, and bringing back every member of the World Series roster wouldn’t necessarily produce the same results. Plus, if one free-agent prediction holds true, the Atlanta Braves won’t give the Dodgers much choice in the matter.
Jack Flaherty, a midseason trade acquisition who ended up starting Game 1 of the World Series, will become a free agent for the second winter in a row. Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly recently predicted that Flaherty would shun his hometown Dodgers in favor of the Atlanta Braves.
“In a season he would ultimately split between the (Detroit) Tigers and Dodgers, Flaherty went 13-7 with a 3.17 ERA and nearly 200 strikeouts across 162 innings,” Kelly said. “He was very much a mixed bag in the postseason, with a disastrous start against the Mets in NLDS Game 5 inflating his ERA across five playoff starts to 7.36.”
“There’s the potential for signing Flaherty to blow up, but the ceiling is high enough that there will be plenty of teams willing to take that risk”
Kelly also projected that Flaherty would land a three-year, $60 million contract, a substantial improvement over the one-year deal Flaherty signed with the Tigers last winter. He proved his worth in a major way this year, and now, the Dodgers will face stiff competition if they want to keep him.
It’s easy to see how the Braves, one of the primary threats to dethrone the Dodgers in the NL next season, could be interested in Flaherty. It will be interesting to follow how seriously L.A. attempts to persuade him to come back.
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