Despite agreeing to terms on an eight-year, $218 million deal with left-handed ace Max Fried on Tuesday, the New York Yankees may not be finished adding to an already crowded rotation.
On Wednesday afternoon, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman revealed that the team has prepared a presentation for Japanese free agent Roki Sasaki. The 23-year-old ace, recently posted by NPB’s Chiba Lotte Marines, is expected to meet with interested teams soon.
“A big arm with a desire to be great,” Cashman told MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. “His intent is to be one of the game’s greatest pitchers on the planet. We certainly would love to participate in allowing that to happen.”
Sasaki has captured the attention of MLB fans since his 19-strikeout perfect game at age 20, followed by eight more perfect innings in his next start before being pulled. The right-hander further raised his profile on the international stage during the 2023 World Baseball Classic, where he averaged 100.5 mph in his semifinal start against Mexico.
This past season, Sasaki posted a 10-5 record with a 2.35 ERA, striking out 129, walking 32, and allowing just two home runs in 111 innings.
Because he is younger than 25 and has not yet accrued six years of experience in a foreign league, Sasaki is considered an international amateur free agent. This designation allows him to sign only a minor league contract, limiting the financial terms of his deal and how much Lotte can receive from the 20% posting fee.
Had the Chiba Lotte Marines, which denied his posting request last year, waited until 2026 to post him, they could have secured tens of millions of dollars in posting fees from the acquiring team. Had Sasaki held out, he might have landed a contract worth hundreds of millions, similar to Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who signed a 12-year, $325 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers last winter.
Instead, Sasaki is following a path similar to that of Shohei Ohtani, the now-Dodgers superstar who signed with the Los Angeles Angels for a modest $2.3 million when he made the jump to MLB at age 23. Ohtani later cashed in with a heavily deferred 10-year, $700 million deal at age 29.
Sasaki’s 45-day signing window officially closes at 5 p.m. ET on January 23. However, the 2024 signing period ends this Sunday, meaning Sasaki is unlikely to reach a decision until after the 2025 period opens on January 15.
The Yankees currently have $6,261,600 in international bonus pool money, according to the Associated Press, but can trade for additional pool money in $250,000 increments, as long as they do not exceed 60% of their initial allotment.
Though the Dodgers have been viewed by some as the favored landing spot for Sasaki due to the presence of Ohtani and Yamamoto, the Yankees do have a strong track record of attracting Japanese stars.
Past successes include Hideki Matsui, Masahiro Tanaka, Ichiro Suzuki, and Hiroki Kuroda, all of whom became fan favorites in the Bronx. New York also signed Hideki Irabu and Kei Igawa in the late 1990s and 2000s, though their production never met the expectations tied to their contracts.
In addition to Fried, New York’s rotation already features two high-priced former free-agent signings. 2023 Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole has four years and $144 million remaining on his deal, while left-hander Carlos Rodón is set to earn nearly $28 million annually over the same period—making the idea of adding a talent like Sasaki on a cost-controlled deal even more appealing.
Whether or not the Yankees land Sasaki, they will need to address the futures of Marcus Stroman (owed $18.3 million in 2025) and Nestor Cortes Jr., who is set to hit free agency next winter. The Yankees also have breakout arms Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil, giving them a current rotation mix of seven potential starters.
To make room for Fried and possibly Sasaki, the Yankees may need to trade or move some of these pitchers to the bullpen. Joel Sherman of the New York Post suggested Wednesday that the Fried signing could open the door for a trade with the Houston Astros for star outfielder Kyle Tucker, among other moves.
Given that the Yankees’ farm system is in a down cycle, Gil—coming off his AL Rookie of the Year campaign—could be the centerpiece of any package headed to Houston. The Astros are said to be very interested in Gil and are prioritizing major-league-ready corner infielders and starting pitching in any return for Tucker.
