The Roki Sasaki sweepstakes will heat up this week with his international signing period beginning, and the Toronto Blue Jays have reportedly inserted themselves in the mix among the plethora of teams looking to sign the Japanese star.
The Blue Jays reportedly met with Roki Sasaki
According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Andy McCullough, the Blue Jays are in on Sasaki and met with the right-hander in Toronto. Several contending teams have made pitches to Sasaki in hopes of signing him, as he is one of the most prized pitchers remaining on the market.
“Club officials last week hosted prized Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki in Toronto, sources briefed on the meetings told The Athletic,” Rosenthal and McCullough reported.
The Blue Jays are in an interesting place, as they are coming off a disappointing season in which they failed to reach the postseason and experienced underwhelming performances from some of their top players. Additionally, superstar first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is set to become a free agent following the 2025 season, so they are heading in for a potential make-or-break season this year.
- Outfielder could follow former Mets star’s blueprint and ask for high-AAV deal
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- Brewers star right-hander ‘in a really good spot’ as he prepares for 2025 return
The Blue Jays are still trying to contend in 2025
Evidently, they are still intending to compete with the core they currently have given their high interest to add to the roster this winter. Adding Sasaki would give their rotation a massive boost alongside Jose Berrios and Kevin Gausman, and they could have a very strong top three in the rotation.
Furthermore, Sasaki could give the other AL East teams trouble, such as the Yankees and Orioles, which could also make Toronto a sneaky team within the division.
Ultimately, Sasaki will likely pick his team this week, and the Blue Jays could be one of the teams that swoop in and grab the top international free agent.
