The Roki Sasaki sweepstakes has enchanted the MLB universe since his posting. Sasaki is a generational talent with an explosive fastball and since he is considered an international amateur, he can only be signed to a minor-league deal making him a bargain ace every team should be in on.
By now, we’ve heard more rumors than we can count. We’ve heard about why Los Angeles and San Diego are favorites to land the 23-year-old phenom, that he’d likely prefer to pitch on a team that doesn’t already have Japanese stars since it might bring him more incentives such as endorsements in Japan, that he does want to pitch alongside Japanese stars (namely Yu Darvish) since they might help his development, and we’ve heard why some teams may be out of the running. But mixed in among the various head-spinning rumors, there are a few things we know for sure. We know he prioritizes “stability, lifestyle, comfort, and a player development track record.”
But now and then, Sasaki’s agent, Joel Wolfe, drips more useful information to us. During the Winter Meetings in Dallas, Wolfe had this to say:
“I think there’s an argument to be made that a small- or mid-market team might be more beneficial for him, as a soft landing, coming from Japan and what he’s been through and not having an enjoyable experience with the media — it might be. I’m not saying it will be, but I don’t know how he’s going to do it. It might be beneficial for him to be in a smaller market, but I really don’t know how he looks at it yet because I haven’t had a chance and discuss it with him [at great length].”
Just recently, we got another update. In response to an inquiry from SNY, MLB insider Andy Martino reports that Wolfe wrote this in a text message:
“Market size isn’t a factor either way.”
On the surface, that’s a good sign for the two New York teams. However, this news doesn’t really give us a more favorable outlook on the Yankees chances. Here’s why.
For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop during the MLB offseason.
Where do the Yankees stand with Roki Sasaki?
Playing for a storied franchise with one of the largest fanbases of any sports team is one definite way to garner attention, which is what Sasaki wants. So, that’s exactly what the Yankees pitched to him during their face-to-face meeting. Unfortunately, this may not be a great selling point.
While Wolfe gave us a seemingly Yankee-favorable update, he didn’t really mention his previous point about the media. In the Bronx, the media is notoriously harsh. Everyone knows that when you play for the Yankees, you’re playing in a pressure cooker. If you perform poorly, you will hear about from the fans and constantly be questioned on it by the New York media.
If Sasaki’s unenjoyable experience with the media is a strong factor, then the Yankees’ chances of landing him are nearly sunk. Luckily, the Yankees still have one big opening. Martino also had this to report:
“Wolfe said that Sasaki is driven to be the best, and is prioritizing teams whose pitching programs will make him better.”
For the Yankees, this is favorable news. But whether the media debacle proves to be a deciding factor when several other teams have reliable track records of successfully developing pitchers remains to be seen.
