I am genuinely tempted not to write anything at all about this besides sharing the news. As everyone in the entire world knew: Roki Sasaki is signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers. There were never any finalists, there were never any “city” visits or IFA bonus pool trades that mattered. It was always going to be them. And now it is.
Roki Sasaki to the Dodgers
Here’s the news via Jeff Passan:
When I was trying to figure out what was so annoying about this process – besides the fact that it mirrored Shohei Ohtani’s faux tour and decision last winter (right down to the Blue Jays as finalists alongside the Dodgers) – it’s not the fact that the Dodgers are already so good and don’t need Roki Sasaki. That part is annoying, sure, but maybe there’s a silver lining for the other NL East and Central teams (like the Cubs) for talent to be so concentrated on one roster that was already going to contend.
Instead, it’s the fact that the Dodgers – one of the absolute richest teams in the league, flush with cable TV cash that no other organization will ever again be able to replicate – are getting one of the most valuable contracts in the game.
Remember, Roki Sasaki is going to make the Major League minimum next season and will be under affordable team control for the next six years, at least. If he’s half as good as we think he’ll be, that’s just one more ridiculous asset for a team/organization that, frankly, didn’t need it.
On top of that, the Dodgers are continuing to pile onto their massive advantage for any future Japanese stars. Beating their geography is tough enough. But now? How can anyone compete (for Japanese free agents) against a team with Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki? It’s nuts.
But also, yeah, how can any team compete against this? Roki Sasaki would be most team’s No. 1 starter. He’s maybe going to be their … No. 5?
Sure, health will probably always be a concern for Ohtani and Glasnow. And Snell is famously inconsistent, while Sasaki and Yamamoto are both young and inexperienced. But I mean…my god. That’s a team of potentially five aces. A team that also has Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and Shohei Ohtani, the hitter.
If the Cubs are going to compete this year, I sure hope they don’t wind up facing the Dodgers in the postseason.
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As for the rest of the market implications, I’m not sure there are too many. I do feel for Blue Jays fans, who haven’t just been bridesmaids three times in a row (Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, Roki Sasaki), but more aptly 3x maids of honor. I wonder now if they finally concede and get serious about trading Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Mets? Red Sox?).