SD Dodgers Cup Toronto Four-way Sasaki option narrowed down! As early as this week, the Yankees will be eliminated from SF

Jan 14, 2025

Chiba Lotte Sasaki Rocky has reportedly narrowed the contract candidate group to four teams. AP Yonhap News

Japanese pitcher Rocky Sasaki narrowed down his options to four teams. Some predict that the contract is imminent.

MLB.com said on the 14th (Korean time) that he began to narrow down his options as the scramble for Sasaki was nearing the end. According to a source, the New York Yankees were informed by Sasaki that they were not subject to the contract. 'The Giants also informed us that they are no longer subject to consideration, which San Francisco President Jack Minasian confirmed today'

According to multiple reports, Sasaki has no intention of signing with the Mets, but the Texas Rangers have also been eliminated from the competition, adding that four of the eight teams Sasaki has directly negotiated face-to-face were excluded.

As a result, the list of contract candidates narrowed down by Sasaki is organized into the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, and Toronto Blue Jays. MLB.com predicted that "'Sasaki is expected to make up its mind immediately after this Wednesday, when the international contract period begins in 2025'

There are predictions that Sashiki Loki may wear the same uniform as Darvish Yu when he met with Padres officials in San Diego last weekend. AP Yonhap News

Sasaki's negotiation deadline, which was posted to 30 lightbulbs on December 10 last year, is the 24th. This means that Sassiki is likely to announce his final destination around the 15th, when contracts for international amateur prospects will begin to be allowed this year.

Until recently, seven teams were known to have held the first face-to-face negotiations in LA late last year, including the Dodgers, San Diego, Cubs, Mets, Yankees, San Francisco and Texas. However, according to The Athletic, Sasiki went to San Diego over the weekend to meet with Padres officials, and earlier negotiated with Toronto at the end of last year.

San Diego is considered a leading destination for Sasaki along with the Dodgers. While the other teams met in LA, where the agency CAA Sports office is located, San Diego is interesting that Sasaki is a club that went directly with his agent Joel Wolf. It has not been confirmed whether the recent negotiations with San Diego are the first meeting. If it's the second meeting, it's safe to say that the weight could be on San Diego rather than the Dodgers.

Sasaki has to sign a minor league contract because he is an international amateur FA under the age of 25. In addition, the size of the Cyning Bonus cannot exceed the international Cyning Bonus pool set by each national team. Local media expect Sasaki's Sinning Bonus to be between $3.7 million and $5 million.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.