The Los Angeles Dodgers have been favorites to land Roki Sasaki since the beginning of this unprecedented offseason.

The defending World Series champions are almost always favorites when it comes to signing major free agents. This could be becuase of their ‘elite’ front office, winning traditions, the L.A. weather, and, of course, their willingness to open up the checkbook for big-name talent.

Last offseason, the Dodgers spent over $1 billion to add talent, and it paid off in the ultimate way: Their eighth World Series ring.

This offseason, the Dodgers landed two-time Cy Young award winning pitcher Blake Snell for $182 million, and three-time Gold Glove award winner in the Korean Baseball Organization, Hyeseong Kim, for up to $22 million.

That is what makes the Roki Sasaki situation even more interesting.

Since Sasaki is under the age of 25 and doesn’t have six years of service time, he is restricted to the international bonus pool of each MLB team which ranges from $5.1 million to right around $7.5 million.

The Dodgers and San Francisco Giants are limited to just over $5.1 million to spend — the two lowest in MLB — as another team seen as a favorite to land the phenom in the San Diego Padres have $6.2 million in their bonus pool.

The Giants were recently told that they are no longer in the running for Sasaki, and the Dodgers have the same amount in the bonus pool as them, yet Los Angeles is “optimistic about their chances,” per Jack Harris of the LA Times.

Harris also cited the pursuit of Shohei Ohtani last offseason when he left the Los Angeles Angels, which then led Yoshinobu Yamamoto to sign weeks later.

“And now, it’s looking increasingly likely that Sasaki could follow in their footsteps this week,” Harris wrote.

Sasaki is already affecting the future of other international prospects who verbally agreed to sign with the Padres and Dodgers, as Los Angeles has now lost three prospects in their efforts to offer the most money possible to the right-hander.